From: Tim Mann Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 07:39:41 +0000 (+0000) Subject: Generate the xboard man page (now covering cmail too) from the texinfo X-Git-Tag: v4.2.7~13 X-Git-Url: http://winboard.nl/cgi-bin?a=commitdiff_plain;h=673629f5786e6f2220d65f331b9ce00aa0286930;p=xboard.git Generate the xboard man page (now covering cmail too) from the texinfo file. Add sounds/README. Add a small patch from Daniel Mehrmann. See ChangeLog for details. --- diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog index b9d19ac..d9e577d 100644 --- a/ChangeLog +++ b/ChangeLog @@ -1,5 +1,23 @@ ChangeLog for XBoard/WinBoard +* 11/16/2003: The xboard man page and info files are now built from a +common set of texinfo source files, and the xboard man page now covers +cmail as well. Formerly, ever since the texinfo file was first +contributed to the project, it was separate from the man page and the +two files had to be updated in parallel, making for a maintenance +nightmare. To make combining the files possible, I took the Perl +script "texi2man" from the GNU Units project and added support for a +larger subset of the texinfo markup language. I then carefully +compared the old man page and old texinfo file to make sure the latest +and clearest words survived into the new combined texinfo file. It +would be great to merge in WinBoard's help file too, but that's a +larger project. It would have to be heavily conditionalized to +deal with differences in features between XBoard and WinBoard. + +* 11/15/2003: Cleaned up and applied a small patch from Daniel +Mehrmann, to stop overly long PVs in thinking output from causing a +buffer overflow crash in backend.c. + * 11/5/2003: When a chess engine sends a "telluser" command (including the cases where "tellall" or "tellopponent" acts like telluser), the information now goes into a nonmodel popup that is automatically @@ -18,7 +36,7 @@ project in the new combined directory structure. * Added woodthunk.wav sound contributed by Robert Jurjevic. -* Applied a security fix to pxboard, from Martin Maeok. +* Applied a small security fix to pxboard, from Martin Maeok. * Fixed a bug in the game list dialog. The change in 4.2.6 to opening games in text mode (meant to avoid getting extra \r's into comments) diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in index de78c84..fa89281 100644 --- a/Makefile.in +++ b/Makefile.in @@ -40,19 +40,19 @@ LIBS = @X_LIBS@ @XAW_LIBS@ @PRE_XMULIB@ -lXmu @POST_XMULIB@ -lXt -lXext \ NROFF = @NROFF@ NROFFFLAGS = @NROFFFLAGS@ -DISTSOURCE = COPYING COPYRIGHT ChangeLog ChangeLog.2 FAQ FAQ.html \ - INSTALL Makefile.in READ_ME ToDo backend.c backend.h \ - backendz.h bitmaps bitmaps.xchess childio.c childio.h cmail.in \ - cmail.man common.h config.guess config.sub \ - configure configure.in engine-intf.html frontend.h gamelist.c \ - ics-parsing.txt install-sh kk13.pgn lists.c \ - lists.h mkinstalldirs moves.c moves.h parser.h parser.l pgntags.c \ - pxboard xboard.c xboard.h xboard.man xedittags.c xedittags.h \ - xgamelist.c xgamelist.h xhistory.c xhistory.h acconfig.h config.h.in \ - xboard.texinfo.in xboard.texi gpl.texinfo zic2xpm.c zic2xpm.man \ - pixmaps sounds xboard.ps bitmaps.unused winboard - -ZIPPYSOURCE = zippy.README zippy.c zippy.h zippy.lines +DISTSOURCE = acconfig.h AUTHORS backend.c backend.h backendz.h bitmaps \ + ChangeLog ChangeLog.2 childio.c childio.h cmail.in \ + common.h config.guess config.h.in config.sub configure configure.in \ + COPYING COPYRIGHT engine-intf.html FAQ.html frontend.h gamelist.c \ + gpl.texinfo ics-parsing.txt INSTALL install-sh lists.c lists.h \ + Makefile.in mkinstalldirs moves.c moves.h parser.h parser.l \ + pgntags.c pixmaps pxboard READ_ME shiphtml sounds ToDo winboard \ + xboard.c xboard.h xboard.texi xboard.texinfo.in \ + xedittags.c xedittags.h xgamelist.c xgamelist.h xhistory.c \ + xhistory.h zic2xpm.c zic2xpm.man zippy.c zippy.h zippy.lines \ + zippy.README + +PSEUDOSOURCE = parser.c xboard.man xboard.info FAQ DISTDIR = @PRODUCT@-@VERSION@.@PATCHLEVEL@ @@ -61,18 +61,17 @@ XBOARDOBJ = parser.o xboard.o backend.o moves.o childio.o gamelist.o \ ### Targets required by GNU standards ####################################### -all: xboard zic2xpm xboard.doc cmail.doc zic2xpm.doc +default: xboard zic2xpm xboard.txt zic2xpm.txt -more: all pseudo-source info FAQ html dvi ps +all: default pseudosource info FAQ html dvi ps -install: installdirs xboard zic2xpm cmail pxboard xboard.man cmail.man \ +install: installdirs xboard zic2xpm cmail pxboard xboard.man \ zic2xpm.man $(INSTALL_PROGRAM) -s xboard $(bindir)/xboard $(INSTALL_PROGRAM) -s zic2xpm $(bindir)/zic2xpm $(INSTALL_PROGRAM) cmail $(bindir)/cmail $(INSTALL_PROGRAM) $(srcdir)/pxboard $(bindir)/pxboard $(INSTALL_DATA) $(srcdir)/xboard.man $(man6dir)/xboard$(man6ext) - $(INSTALL_DATA) $(srcdir)/cmail.man $(man6dir)/cmail$(man6ext) $(INSTALL_DATA) $(srcdir)/zic2xpm.man $(man6dir)/zic2xpm$(man6ext) $(INSTALL_DATA) xboard.info $(infodir)/xboard.info -PATH=$$PATH:/sbin:/usr/sbin install-info \ @@ -91,7 +90,7 @@ uninstall: $(infodir)/xboard.info $(infodir)/dir clean: - rm -f xboard zic2xpm *.o *.doc $(LEX_OUTPUT_ROOT).c + rm -f xboard zic2xpm *.o *.txt $(LEX_OUTPUT_ROOT).c rm -f xboard_*.html xboard.aux* xboard.cp* xboard.dvi xboard.fn* rm -f xboard.ky* xboard.log xboard.pg* xboard.toc xboard.tp* rm -f xboard.vr* xboard.ps @@ -106,7 +105,7 @@ mostlyclean: clean maintainer-clean: distclean @echo "This command is intended for maintainers to use;" @echo "it deletes files that may require special tools to rebuild." - rm -f parser.c xboard.info FAQ + rm -f $(PSEUDOSOURCE) cd winboard ; make -f cygwin.mak maintainer-clean TAGS: @@ -135,38 +134,30 @@ xboard_toc.html: xboard.texinfo xboard.texi gpl.texinfo configure.in FAQ: FAQ.html lynx -dump -nolist $(srcdir)/FAQ.html > FAQ -nothinglocked: - @echo -n Testing that no RCS files are locked... - @test `rlog -L -R RCS/*,v | tee .locked | wc -l` = 0 || \ - ( echo 'ERROR - the following are locked: ' 2>&1 ;\ - cat .locked 2>&1 ;\ - false ) - @echo OK +pseudosource: $(PSEUDOSOURCE) -pseudo-source: parser.c xboard.info FAQ - -dist: nothinglocked +dist: distclean + (cd linux && make pseudosource && cp -a $(PSEUDOSOURCE) ..) + rm -rf $(DISTDIR) mkdir $(DISTDIR) - rlog -h RCS/*,v | egrep '^RCS file:|head:' > RCS/$(DISTDIR).rcs - cp -r $(DISTSOURCE) $(ZIPPYSOURCE) $(DISTDIR)/ - if echo $(DISTDIR) | grep -i beta ; then \ - cp -r READ_ME_FIRST $(DISTDIR)/ ; \ - fi - cp parser.c xboard.info FAQ $(DISTDIR)/ + cp -a $(DISTSOURCE) $(DISTDIR)/ + cp -a $(PSEUDOSOURCE) $(DISTDIR)/ tar cvf - $(DISTDIR) | gzip > $(DISTDIR).tar.gz + rm -rf $(DISTDIR) check: all ### End targets required by GNU standards ################################### .SUFFIXES: -.SUFFIXES: .c .o .man .doc +.SUFFIXES: .c .o .man .txt .c.o: $(CC) $(DEFINES) $(ALL_CFLAGS) -c $< -.man.doc: - $(NROFF) $(NROFFFLAGS) $< > $*.doc +.man.txt: + $(NROFF) $(NROFFFLAGS) $< | cat -s > $*.txt \ + || (rm -f $*.txt ; false) xboard: $(XBOARDOBJ) $(CC) -o xboard $(ALL_LDFLAGS) $(XBOARDOBJ) $(LIBS) @@ -180,6 +171,9 @@ parser.c: parser.l parser.o: parser.c +xboard.man: xboard.texinfo xboard.texi copyright.texi gpl.texinfo + $(srcdir)/texi2man xboard.texinfo > xboard.man \ + || (rm -f xboard.man ; false) tidy: rm -f ,* .,* .emacs_[0-9]* core a.out *~ *.BAK *.CKP .nfs* diff --git a/backend.c b/backend.c index 5962591..e9ae20f 100644 --- a/backend.c +++ b/backend.c @@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ typedef struct { /* Search stats from chessprogram */ typedef struct { - char movelist[MSG_SIZ]; /* Last PV we were sent */ + char movelist[2*MSG_SIZ]; /* Last PV we were sent */ int depth; /* Current search depth */ int nr_moves; /* Total nr of root moves */ int moves_left; /* Moves remaining to be searched */ @@ -4349,9 +4349,23 @@ HandleMachineMove(message, cps) programStats.nodes = nodes; programStats.time = time; programStats.score = curscore; - strcpy(programStats.movelist, buf1); programStats.got_only_move = 0; + /* Buffer overflow protection */ + if (buf1[0] != NULLCHAR) { + if (strlen(buf1) >= sizeof(programStats.movelist) + && appData.debugMode) { + fprintf(debugFP, + "PV is too long; using the first %d bytes.\n", + sizeof(programStats.movelist) - 1); + } + strncpy(programStats.movelist, buf1, + sizeof(programStats.movelist)); + buf1[sizeof(programStats.movelist) - 1] = NULLCHAR; + } else { + sprintf(programStats.movelist, " no PV\n"); + } + if (programStats.seen_stat) { programStats.ok_to_send = 1; } diff --git a/cmail.man b/cmail.man deleted file mode 100644 index ac7dce6..0000000 --- a/cmail.man +++ /dev/null @@ -1,275 +0,0 @@ -.\"=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -.\"# File: cmail.man -.\"# -.\"# Author: Evan Welsh -.\"# -.\"# Email: Evan.Welsh@msdw.com -.\"# -.\"# Modified: $Date$ -.\"# $Revision$ -.\"# -.\"# Summary: Man page for cmail -.\"=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -.\" -.TH CMAIL 6 -.PD -.ad b -.SH NAME -cmail \- an email chess helper -.SH SYNOPSIS -\fBcmail\fR -[\|\fBoptions\fR\|] -.SH DESCRIPTION -.PP -The \fIcmail\fP program will help you play chess by email with opponents of -your choice using an X interface. To use it, you will need to be able to -run \fIxboard\fP with which \fIcmail\fP is distributed, available by -anonymous FTP from numerous sites around the world. It has been tested with -\fIxboard 3.2\fP; it may require modification for other versions. -.SH OPTIONS -You will usually run cmail without giving any options. See the next -section for instructions. -.TP 8 -.B \-h -Displays \fIcmail\fP usage information. -.TP 8 -.B \-c -Shows the conditions of the GNU General Public License. -.TP 8 -.B \-w -Shows the warranty notice of the GNU General Public License. -.TP 8 -.B \-[\|x\|]v -Provides or inhibits verbose output from \fIcmail\fP and \fIxboard\fP, -useful for debugging. The -.B \-xv -form also inhibits the cmail introduction message. -.TP 8 -.B \-[\|x\|]mail -Invokes or inhibits the sending of a mail message containing the move. -.TP 8 -.B \-[\|x\|]xboard -Invokes or inhibits the running of \fIxboard\fP on the game file. -.TP 8 -.B \-[\|x\|]reuse -Invokes or inhibits the reuse of an existing \fIxboard\fP to display the -current game. -.TP 8 -.B \-remail -Resends the last mail message for that game. This inhibits running -\fIxboard\fP. -.TP 8 -.B \-game \fIname\fP -The name of the game to be processed. -.TP 8 -.B \-(w|b|)games \fInumber\fP -Number of games to start as White, as Black or in total. Default is 1 as -white and none as black. If only one colour is specified then none of the -other colour is assumed. If no colour is specified then equal numbers of -White and Black games are started, with the extra game being as White if an -odd number of total games is specified. -.TP 8 -.B \-(me|opp) \fIshort name\fP -A one-word alias for yourself or your opponent. -.TP 8 -.B \-(w|b|my|opp)name \fIfull name\fP -The full name of White, Black, yourself or your opponent. -.TP 8 -.B \-(w|b|my|opp)na \fInet address\fP -The email address of White, Black, yourself or your opponent. -.TP 8 -.B \-dir \fIdirectory\fP -The directory in which \fIcmail\fP keeps its files. This defaults to the -environment variable $CMAIL_DIR or failing that, $CHESSDIR, $HOME/Chess or -~/Chess. It will be created if it does not exist. -.TP 8 -.B \-arcdir \fIdirectory\fP -The directory in which \fIcmail\fP archives completed games. Defaults to -the environment variable $CMAIL_ARCDIR or, in its absence, the same -directory as cmail keeps its working files (above). -.TP 8 -.B \-mailprog \fImail program\fP -The program used by cmail to send email messages. This defaults to the -environment variable $CMAIL_MAILPROG or failing that "/usr/ucb/Mail", -"/usr/ucb/mail" or "Mail". You will need to set this variable if none of -the above paths fit your system. -.TP 8 -.B \-gamesFile \fIfile\fP -A file containing a list of games with email addresses. This defaults to -the environment variable $CMAIL_GAMES or failing that .cmailgames. -.TP 8 -.B \-aliasesFile \fIfile\fP -A file containing one or more aliases for a set of email addresses. This -defaults to the environment variable $CMAIL_ALIASES or failing -that .cmailaliases. -.TP 8 -.B \-logFile \fIfile\fP -A file in which to dump verbose debugging messages that are invoked with -the -.B \-v -option. -.TP 8 -.B \-event \fIevent\fP -The PGN Event tag (default "Email correspondence game"). -.TP 8 -.B \-site \fIsite\fP -The PGN Site tag (default "NET"). -.TP 8 -.B \-round \fIround\fP -The PGN Round tag (default "-", not applicable). -.TP 8 -.B \-mode \fImode\fP -The PGN Mode tag (default "EM", Electronic Mail). -.PP -.SH OTHER OPTIONS -Any unrecognised flags will be passed to \fIxboard\fP. Those most relevant -for use with \fIcmail\fP are: -.TP 8 -.B \-timeDelay (or -td) \fIdelay\fP -This sets the speed at which the moves are displayed on start-up. It -defaults to the environment variable $CMAIL_TIME_DELAY if set, and 0 -otherwise. -.TP 8 -.B \-noChessProgram (True | False), or -[x]ncp -If this option is False, -.IR xboard -starts a chess program which can be used with \fIcmail\fP to suggest moves. -Default: True. -.TP 8 -.B \-searchTime (or -st) minutes[:seconds] -Tells GNU Chess to spend at most the given amount of time searching -for each of its moves. Without this option, GNU Chess chooses -its search time based on the number of moves and amount of time -remaining until the next time control. -.TP 8 -.B \-searchDepth (or -sd) number -Tells GNU Chess to look ahead at most the given number of moves when -searching for a move to make. Without this option, GNU Chess chooses its -search depth based on the number of moves and amount of time remaining -until the next time control. -.TP 8 -.B \-saveGameFile (or -sgf) file -If this option is set, -.IR xboard -appends a record of the game played to the specified file on exit. -.TP 8 -.B -autosave or -autoSaveGames -If this option is True, at the end of every game -.IR xboard -prompts you for a filename and appends a record of the game to the file you -specify. -.TP 8 -.B \-savePositionFile (or -spf) file -If this option is set, -.IR xboard -appends the final position reached to the specified file on exit. -.TP 8 -.B \-boardSize (or -size) "(Large | Medium | Small)" -Determines how large the board will be and what built-in piece bitmaps -will be used. On a large board (the default), -pieces are 80x80 pixels, on a medium board 64x64 pixels, and -on a small board 40x40 pixels. -.SH STARTING A GAME -Type \fIcmail\fP from a shell to start a game as white. After an opening -message, you will be prompted for a game name, which is optional -- if you -simply press return, the game name will take the form -\fIyou\fP-VS-\fIopponent\fP. You will next be prompted for the short name -of your opponent. If you haven't played this person before, you will also -be prompted for his/her email address. \fIcmail\fP will then invoke -\fIxboard\fP in the background. Make your first move and select \fIMail -Move\fP from the \fIFile\fP menu. If all is well, \fIcmail\fP will mail a -copy of the move to your opponent. If you select \fIExit\fP without having -selected \fIMail Move\fP then no move will be made. -.SH ANSWERING A MOVE -When you receive a message from an opponent containing a move in one of -your games, simply pipe the message through \fIcmail\fP. In some mailers -this is as simple as typing "| cmail" when viewing the message, while in -others you may have to save the message to a file and do "cmail < file" at -the command line. In either case \fIcmail\fP will display the game using -\fIxboard\fP. If you didn't exit \fIxboard\fP when you made your first move -then \fIcmail\fP will do its best to use the existing \fIxboard\fP instead -of starting a new one. As before, simply make a move and select \fIMail -Move\fP from the \fIFile\fP menu. \fIcmail\fP will try to use the -\fIxboard\fP that was most recently used to display the current game. This -means that many games can be in progress simultaneously, each with its own -active \fIxboard\fP. -.PP -If you want to look at the history or explore a variation, go ahead, but -you must return to the current position before \fIxboard\fP will allow you -to mail a move. If you edit the game's history you must select \fIReload -Same Game\fP from the \fIFile\fP menu to get back to the original position, -then make the move you want and select \fIMail Move\fP. As before, if you -decide you aren't ready to make a move just yet you can either select -\fIExit\fP without sending a move or just leave \fIxboard\fP running until -you are ready. -.SH COMPLETING A GAME -Because \fIxboard\fP can now detect checkmate and stalemate, \fIcmail\fP -now handles game termination sensibly. As well as resignation, the -\fIAction\fP menu now allows draws to be offered and accepted for -\fIcmail\fP games. -.PP -For multi-game messages, only unfinished and just-finished games will be -included in email messages. When all the games are finished, they are -archived in the user's archive directory, and similarly in the opponent's -when he or she pipes the final message through \fIcmail\fP. The archive -file name includes the date the game was started. -.SH MULTI-GAME MESSAGES -It's possible to have a \fIcmail\fP message carry more than one game. This -feature was implemented to handle IECG (International Email Chess Group) -matches, where a match consists of 1 game as white and 1 as black, with -moves transmitted simultaneously. In case there are more general uses, -\fIcmail\fP itself places no limit on the number of black/white games -contained in a message; however, \fIxboard\fP does. -.SH TROUBLE SHOOTING -It's possible that a strange conjunction of conditions may occasionally -mean that \fIcmail\fP has trouble reactivating an existing \fIxboard\fP. If -this should happen, simply trying it again should work. If not, remove the -file that stores the \fIxboard\fP's PID (<\fIgame\fP>.pid) or use the -\fI-xreuse\fP option to force \fIcmail\fP to start a new \fIxboard\fP. -.PP -Versions of \fIcmail\fP after 2.16 no longer understand the old file format -that \fIxboard\fP used to use and so cannot be used to correspond with -anyone using an older version. -.PP -Versions of \fIcmail\fP older than 2.11 do not handle multi-game messages, -so multi-game correspondence is not possible with opponents using an older -version. -.SH FILES -"\fI.cmailgames\fP" -contains a list of games with the email addresses of the opponents. -.PP -"\fI.cmailaliases\fP" -contains one or more aliases for a set of email addresses. -.SH BUGS -No known bugs. -.SH BUG REPORTS -I make no promises but if you send bug reports/suggestions to -Evan.Welsh@msdw.com I'll do my best to fix/implement them. -.SH AUTHOR -Copyright (C) 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc. -.PP -\fIcmail\fP is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify -it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by -the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or -(at your option) any later version. -.PP -\fIcmail\fP is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, -but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of -MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the -GNU General Public License for more details. -.PP -You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License -along with cmail; if not, write to the Free Software -Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111 USA. -.sp -.ta 1.0i 3.0i -.nf -Author: Evan Welsh -.fi -.SH CONTRIBUTORS -.PP -Patrick Surry helped with design, testing and documentation. -.PP -Tim Mann helped integrate \fIcmail\fP with \fIxboard\fP. -.SH SEE ALSO -\fIMail\fP(1), \fIperl\fP(1), \fIxboard\fP(1) diff --git a/copyright.texi b/copyright.texi new file mode 100644 index 0000000..661d27a --- /dev/null +++ b/copyright.texi @@ -0,0 +1,51 @@ +Copyright @copyright{} 1991 Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, Massachusetts. + +All Rights Reserved. + +Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its +documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, +provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that +both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in +supporting documentation, and that the name of Digital not be +used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the +software without specific, written prior permission. + +Digital disclaims all warranties with regard to this software, including +all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall +Digital be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or +any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, +whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tortious action, +arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of this +software. + +Enhancements copyright @copyright{} 1992-2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc. + +@format +Published by the Free Software Foundation +59 Temple Place - Suite 330 +Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA +@end format + +Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of +this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice +are preserved on all copies. + +@ignore +Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the +results, provided the printed document carries copying permission +notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph +(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual). + +@end ignore +Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this +manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the +section entitled ``GNU General Public License,'' +is included exactly as in the original, and provided that the entire +resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission +notice identical to this one. + +Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual +into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions, +except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License,'' +and this permission notice, may be included in translations approved by +the Free Software Foundation instead of in the original English. diff --git a/sounds/README b/sounds/README new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a343cec --- /dev/null +++ b/sounds/README @@ -0,0 +1,10 @@ +The sound files in this directory are in the public domain. + +woodthunk.wav was contributed by Robert Jurjevic on 18 March 2002. + +alarm.wav, challenge.wav, channel1.wav, channel.wav, draw.wav, +kibitz.wav, lose.wav, request.wav, seek.wav, shout.wav, sshout.wav, +tell.wav, unfinished.wav, and win.wav were recorded and contributed by +Timothy Mann on 17 September 2000. + +move.wav was recorded and contributed by Pete Galati in February 1999. diff --git a/xboard.man b/xboard.man deleted file mode 100644 index 682a449..0000000 --- a/xboard.man +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2381 +0,0 @@ -.\" $Id$ -.TH xboard 6 "$Date$" "GNU" -.SH NAME -.PP -xboard \- X user interface for GNU Chess, Crafty, the Internet Chess Server (ICS), -and electronic mail correspondence chess. -.SH SYNOPSIS -.PP -To run with GNU Chess: -.B xboard [options] -.br -To run with Crafty: -.B xboard -fcp crafty -fd \fIcrafty's-directory\fB [options] -.br -To run with the ICS: -.B xboard -ics -icshost hostname [options] -.br -To play email chess: See -.BR cmail (6). -.br -To run standalone: -.B xboard -ncp [options] -.br -To use in a pipeline: -.B |pxboard -.SH DESCRIPTION -.PP -.BR xboard -is a graphical chessboard that can serve as a -user interface to the GNU Chess and Crafty chess engines, the -Internet Chess Servers, -electronic mail correspondence chess, or your own collection of saved games. -.PP -As an interface to GNU Chess or Crafty, -xboard -lets you play a game against the machine, -set up arbitrary positions, -force variations, or watch -a game between two machines. -.PP -As an interface to Crafty, -xboard -also lets you interactively analyze your stored games -or set up and analyze arbitrary positions. -.PP -As an interface to the Internet Chess Server (ICS), -.B xboard -ics -lets you play against other ICS users, -observe games they are playing, or review -games that have recently finished. -Most of the "wild" chess variants on ICS are supported, -including bughouse. -.PP -As an interface to electronic mail correspondence chess, -xboard -works with the -.BR cmail (6) -program. See its manual page for instructions. -.PP -You can also use -xboard -as a chessboard to play through games. -It will read and write game files and allow you to play -through variations manually. -You can use it to browse games off the net -or review games you have saved. -These features are available at all times; if you want to use -them without starting a chess engine or connecting to the ICS, -you can do so with the command -.BR "xboard -ncp" . -.PP -To view games from a netnews reader like -.BR rn (1) -or -.BR xrn (1), -use the news reader's Save command and specify "|pxboard" -as the save -file name. This pipes the article to -.BR pxboard , -a simple shell script that saves the article to a temporary file and runs -xboard -in the background. See the script itself for more information. -.PP -To move a piece, either drag it with the left mouse button, -or click the left mouse button once on the piece, then once more on -the destination square. -To drop a new piece on a square (when applicable), -press button 2 or 3 over the square and select from the popup menu. -.PP -When -xboard -is iconized, its graphical icon is a white knight if it is White's turn to -move, a black knight if it is Black's turn. See -.B Iconize -below if you have problems getting this feature to work. -.SH MENU COMMANDS, BUTTONS, AND KEYS -.PP -All -xboard -commands are available on menus. The most frequently used -commands also have shortcut keys or on-screen buttons. -.SH File Menu -.TP 8 -.B Reset -Resets -xboard -and the chess engine to the beginning of a new chess game. -The "r" key is a keyboard equivalent. -In Internet Chess Server mode, clears the current state of -xboard, -then resynchronizes with ICS by sending a -.IR refresh -command. -If you want to stop playing, observing, or examining a game -on ICS, use an appropriate command from the -Action menu, not Reset. -.TP 8 -.B Load Game -Plays a game from a record file. -The "g" key is a keyboard equivalent. -A popup dialog prompts you for the file name. -If the file contains more than one game, a second popup dialog displays -a list of games (with information drawn from their PGN tags, if any), and you -can select the one you want. -Alternatively, you can load the -.IR N th -game in the file directly from the file name dialog, by typing the number -.IR N -after the file name, separated by a space. - -The game file parser will accept PGN (portable game notation), or -in fact almost any file that contains moves in algebraic notation. -Notation of the form "P@f7" is accepted for piece-drops in bughouse games; -this is a nonstandard extension to PGN. -If the file includes a PGN position (FEN tag), or an old-style -xboard -position diagram -bracketed by "[--" and "--]" before the -first move, the game starts from that position. -Text enclosed in parentheses, square brackets, or curly braces -is assumed to be commentary and is displayed in a pop-up window. -Any other text in the file is ignored. PGN variations (enclosed in -parentheses) are treated as comments; -xboard -is not able to walk variation trees. -The nonstandard PGN tag [Variant "varname"] functions similarly to -the -variant command-line option (see below), allowing games in certain chess -variants to be loaded. There is also a heuristic to -recognize chess variants from the Event tag, by looking for the strings -that the Internet Chess Servers put there when saving variant ("wild") games. -.TP 8 -.B Load Next Game -Loads the next game from the last game record file you loaded. -The shifted "N" key is a keyboard equivalent. -.TP 8 -.B Load Previous Game -Loads the previous game from the last game record file you loaded. -The shifted "P" key is a keyboard equivalent. -Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe. -.TP 8 -.B Reload Same Game -Reloads the last game you loaded. -Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe. -.TP 8 -.B Save Game -Appends a record of the current game to a file. -A popup dialog prompts you for the file name. -If the game did not begin with the standard starting position, -the game file includes the starting position used. -Games are saved in the PGN (portable game notation) format, -unless the oldSaveStyle option is -True, in which case they are saved in an older format that is specific to -xboard. -Both formats are human-readable, and both can be read back by the Load Game -command. -Notation of the form "P@f7" is generated for piece-drops in bughouse games; -this is a nonstandard extension to PGN. -.TP 8 -.B Copy Game -Copies a record of the current game to an internal clipboard in PGN -format and sets the X selection to the game text. The game can be -pasted to another application (such as a text editor or another copy -of xboard) using that application's paste command. In many X -applications, such as xterm and emacs, the middle mouse button can be -used for pasting; in xboard, you must use the Paste Game command. -.TP 8 -.B Paste Game -Interprets the current X selection as a game record and loads it, as -with Load Game. -.TP 8 -.B Load Position -Sets up a position from a position file. -A popup dialog prompts you for the file name. -If the file contains more than one saved position, and you want -to load the -.IR N th -one, type the number -.IR N -after the file name, separated by a space. -Position files must be in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation), or in the format -that the Save Position command writes when oldSaveStyle is turned on. -.TP 8 -.B Load Next Position -Loads the next position from the last position file you loaded. -.TP 8 -.B Load Previous Position -Loads the previous position from the last position file you loaded. -Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe. -.TP 8 -.B Reload Same Position -Reloads the last position you loaded. -Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe. -.TP 8 -.B Save Position -Appends a diagram of the current position to a file. -A popup dialog prompts you for the file name. -Positions are saved in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation) format unless -the oldSaveStyle option is True, in which case they are saved in an older, -human-readable format that is specific to -xboard. -Both formats can be read back by the Load Position command. -.TP 8 -.B Copy Position -Copies the current position to an internal clipboard in FEN format and -sets the X selection to the position text. The position can be pasted -to another application (such as a text editor or another copy of -xboard) using that application's paste command. In many X -applications, such as xterm and emacs, the middle mouse button can be -used for pasting; in xboard, you must use the Paste Position command. -.TP 8 -.B Paste Position -Interprets the current X selection as a FEN position and loads it, as -with Load Position. -.TP 8 -.B Mail Move -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -.B Reload CMail Message -See the manual page for -.BR cmail (6). -.PD -.TP 8 -.B Exit -Exits from -xboard. -The shifted "Q" key is a keyboard equivalent. -.SH Mode Menu -.TP 8 -.B Machine White -Tells the chess engine to play White. -.TP 8 -.B Machine Black -Tells the chess engine to play Black. -.TP 8 -.B Two Machines -Plays a game between two chess engines. -.TP 8 -.B Analysis Mode -Puts XBoard in analysis mode on the current edited position or game. -This mode requires that you use a chess engine that supports analysis, -such as Crafty; GNU Chess will not work. -See the manual section -GETTING CRAFTY -for more information on getting and installing Crafty. -.TP 8 -.B Analyze File -This mode lets you load a game from a file (PGN, etc.) and use a chess engine -to interactively analyze it. -This mode requires that you use a chess engine that supports analysis, -such as Crafty; GNU Chess will not work. -See the manual section -GETTING CRAFTY -for more information on getting and installing Crafty. -.TP 8 -.B ICS Client -This is the normal mode when -.I xboard -is connected to a chess server. If you have moved into -Edit Game or Edit Position mode, you can select this option to get out. - -To use xboard in ICS mode, run it in the foreground with the -ics -option, and use the -terminal you started it from to type commands and receive text responses -from the chess server. Useful ICS commands include -.IR who -to see who is logged on, -.IR games -to see what games are being played, -.IR match -to challenge another player to a game, -.IR observe -to observe an ongoing game, -.IR examine -or -.IR oldmoves -to review a recently completed game, -and of course -.IR help . - -Some special -xboard -features are activated when you are in -.IR examine -or -.IR bsetup -mode on ICS. See the descriptions of the menu commands -Forward, Backward, Pause, ICS Client, and Stop Examining below. -You can also issue the ICS position-editing commands with the mouse. -Move pieces by dragging with mouse button 1. -To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse button 2 or 3 -over the square. This brings up a menu of white pieces (button 2) or black -pieces (button 3). Additional menu choices let you empty the square or -clear the board. Click on the White or Black clock to set the side to play. -You cannot set the side to play or drag pieces to arbitrary squares while -examining on ICC, but you can do so in bsetup mode on FICS. - -If you are playing a bughouse game on the ICS, you can drop an offboard piece -by pressing mouse button 2 or 3 over an empty square to bring up a piece menu. -It makes no difference which button you use. A list of the offboard pieces -each player has available is shown in the window title after the player's name. -.TP 8 -.B Edit Game -Allows you to make moves for both Black and White, and -to change moves after backing up with the Backward command. -The clocks do not run. - -In chess engine mode, the chess engine continues to check moves for -legality but does not participate in the game. You can bring the -chess engine back into the game by selecting Machine White, Machine Black, -or Two Machines. - -In ICS mode, the moves are not sent to the ICS: -Edit Game takes -xboard -out of ICS Client mode and lets you edit games locally. -If you want to edit -games on ICS in a way that other ICS users can see, -use the ICS -.IR examine -command or start an ICS match against yourself. -.TP 8 -.B Edit Position -Lets you set up an arbitrary board position. -Use mouse button 1 to drag pieces to new squares, or to -delete a piece by dragging it off the board or dragging an empty square -on top of it. To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse button 2 or 3 -over the square. This brings up a menu of white pieces (button 2) or black -pieces (button 3). Additional menu choices let you empty the square or -clear the board. You can set the side to play next -by clicking on the White or Black indicator at the top of the screen. -Selecting Edit Position causes -xboard -to discard all remembered moves in the current game. - -In ICS mode, changes made to the position by Edit Position -are not sent to the ICS: Edit Position takes -xboard -out of ICS Client mode and lets you edit positions locally. -If you want to edit -positions on ICS in a way that other ICS users can see, -use the ICS -.IR examine -command, or start an ICS match against yourself. -(See also the ICS Client topic above.) -.TP 8 -.B Training -Training mode lets you interactively guess the moves of a game for one -of the players. You guess the next move of the game by playing the -move on the board. If the move played matches the next move of the -game, the move is accepted and the opponent's response is autoplayed. -If the move played is incorrect, an error message is displayed. You -can select this mode only while loading a game (that is, after -selecting Load Game from the File menu). While xboard is in Training -mode, the navigation buttons are disabled. -.TP 8 -.B Show Game List -Shows or hides the list of games generated by the last Load Game command. -.TP 8 -.B Edit Tags -Lets you edit the PGN (portable game notation) -tags for the current game. After editing, the tags must still conform to -the PGN tag syntax: - -.nf - ::= - - ::= [ ] - ::= - ::= -.fi - -See the PGN Standard for full details. Here is an example: - -.nf - [Event "Portoroz Interzonal"] - [Site "Portoroz, Yugoslavia"] - [Date "1958.08.16"] - [Round "8"] - [White "Robert J. Fischer"] - [Black "Bent Larsen"] - [Result "1-0"] -.fi - -Any characters that do not match this syntax are silently ignored. Note that -the PGN standard requires all games to have at least the seven tags shown -above. Any that you omit will be filled in by -xboard -with "?" (unknown value), or "-" (inapplicable value). -.TP 8 -.B Edit Comment -Adds or modifies a comment on the current position. Comments are -saved by Save Game and are displayed by Load Game, Forward, and Backward. -.TP 8 -.B ICS Input Box -If this mode is on in ICS mode, -xboard -creates an extra window that you can use for typing in ICS commands. -The input box is especially useful if you want to type in something long or do -some editing on your input, because output from ICS doesn't get mixed -in with your typing as it would in the main terminal window. -.TP 8 -.B Pause -Pauses updates to the board, and if you are playing -against a local chess engine, also pauses your clock. -To continue, select Pause again, and the display will automatically -update to the latest position. -The [P] button and keyboard "p" key are equivalents. - -If you select Pause when you are playing against a local chess engine and -it is not your move, the engine's clock -will continue to run and it will eventually make a move, at which point -both clocks will stop. Since board updates are paused, however, -you will not see the move until you exit from Pause mode (or select Forward). -This behavior is meant to simulate adjournment with a sealed move. - -If you select Pause while you are in -.IR examine -mode on ICS, you can step -backward and forward in the current history of the examined game without -affecting the other observers and examiners. Select Pause again to reconnect -yourself to the current state of the game on ICS. - -If you select Pause while you are loading a game, the -game stops loading. -You can load more moves manually by selecting Forward, or resume automatic -loading by selecting Pause again. -.SH Action Menu -.TP 8 -.B Accept -Accepts a pending ICS match offer. -If there is more than one offer pending, you will have to type in a more -specific command instead of using this menu choice. -.TP 8 -.B Decline -Declines a pending ICS offer (match, draw, adjourn, etc.). -If there is more than one offer pending, you will have to type in a more -specific command instead of using this menu choice. -.TP 8 -.B Call Flag -Calls your opponent's flag, claiming a win on time, or claiming a draw -if you are both out of time. You can also call your opponent's flag -by clicking on his clock or by pressing the keyboard "t" key. -.TP 8 -.B Draw -Offers a draw to your opponent, accepts a pending draw offer -from your opponent, or claims a draw by repetition or the 50-move -rule, as appropriate. The "d" key is a keyboard equivalent. -.TP 8 -.B Adjourn -Asks your opponent to agree to adjourning the current game, or -agrees to a pending adjournment offer from your opponent. -.TP 8 -.B Abort -Asks your opponent to agree to aborting the current game, or -agrees to a pending abort offer from your opponent. -An aborted ICS game ends immediately without affecting either player's rating. -.TP 8 -.B Resign -Resigns the game to your opponent. The shifted "R" key is a keyboard -equivalent. -.TP 8 -.B Stop Observing -Ends your participation in observing a game, by issuing the ICS -.IR observe -command with no arguments. -.TP 8 -.B Stop Examining -Ends your participation in examining a game, by issuing the ICS -.IR unexamine -command. -.SH Step Menu -.TP 8 -.B Backward -Steps backward through a series of remembered moves. -The [<] button and the "b" key are equivalents. -In addition, pressing the Control key steps back one move, and releasing -it steps forward again. - -In most modes, Backward only lets you look back at -old positions; it does not retract moves. -This is the case if you are playing against a local chess engine, playing or -observing a game on the ICS, or loading a game. If you select Backward in any -of these situations, you will not be allowed to make a different move. -Use Retract Move or Edit Game if you want to change past moves. - -If you are examining a game on ICS, the behavior of -Backward depends on whether -xboard -is in Pause mode. -If Pause mode is off, Backward issues the ICS -.IR backward -command, which -backs up everyone's view of the game and allows you to make a different move. -If Pause mode is on, Backward only backs up your local view. -.TP 8 -.B Forward -Steps forward through a series of remembered moves (undoing the effect of -Backward) or forward through a game file. -The [>] button and the f key are equivalents. - -If you are examining a game on ICS, the behavior of -Forward depends on whether -xboard -is in Pause mode. -If Pause mode is off, Forward issues the ICS -.IR forward -command, which -moves everyone's view of the game forward along the current line. -If Pause mode is on, Forward only moves your local view forward, and it -will not go past the position that the game was in when you paused. -.TP 8 -.B Back to Start -Jumps backward to the first remembered position in the game. -The [<<] button and the shifted "B" key are equivalents. - -In most modes, Back to Start only lets you look back at -old positions; it does not retract moves. -This is the case if you are playing against a local chess engine, playing or -observing a game on the ICS, or loading a game. If you select Back to -Start in any -of these situations, you will not be allowed to make different moves. -Use Retract Move or Edit Game if you want to change past moves; or -use Reset to start a new game. - -If you are examining a game on ICS, the behavior of -Back to Start depends on whether -xboard -is in Pause mode. -If Pause mode is off, Back to Start issues the ICS -.I backward 999999 -command, which -backs up everyone's view of the game to the start and allows you to make -different moves. -If Pause mode is on, Back to Start only backs up your local view. -.TP 8 -.B Forward to End -Jumps forward to the last remembered position in the game. -The [>>] button and the shifted "F" key are equivalents. - -If you are examining a game on ICS, the behavior of -Forward to End depends on whether -xboard -is in Pause mode. -If Pause mode is off, Forward to End issues the ICS -.I forward 999999 -command, which moves everyone's view of the game forward to the end -of the current line. -If Pause mode is on, Forward to End only moves your local view forward, and it -will not go past the position that the game was in when you paused. -.TP 8 -.B Revert -If you are examining a game on ICS and Pause mode is off, -issues the ICS command -.IR revert . -.TP 8 -.B Truncate Game -Discards all remembered moves of the game beyond the current position. -Puts -xboard -into Edit Game mode if it was not there already. -.TP 8 -.B Move Now -Forces the chess engine to move immediately. May not work with all -chess engines. -.TP 8 -.B Retract Move -Retracts your last move. -When playing a local chess engine, you can do this only after the -engine has replied to your move; if it is still thinking, use Move Now first. -In ICS mode, Retract Move issues the command -.I takeback 1 -or -.I takeback 2 -depending on whether it is your opponent's move or yours. -.SH Options Menu -.TP 8 -.B Always Queen -If this option is off, -xboard -brings up a dialog box whenever you move a pawn to the last rank, -asking what piece you want to promote it to. -If the option is on, your pawns are always promoted to -queens. Your opponent can still underpromote. -.TP 8 -.B Animate Dragging -If Animate Dragging is on, while you are dragging a piece with the -mouse, an image of the piece follows the mouse cursor. -If Animate Dragging is off, there is no visual feedback while you are -dragging a piece, but if Animate Moving is on, the move will be -animated when it is complete. -.TP 8 -.B Animate Moving -If Animate Moving is on, all piece moves are animated. An image of the -piece is shown moving from the old square to the new square when the -move is completed (unless the move was already animated by Animate Dragging). -If Animate Moving is off, a moved piece instantly disappears from its -old square and reappears on its new square when the move is complete. -.TP 8 -.B Auto Comment -If this option is on, any remarks made on ICS while you are observing or -playing a game are recorded as a comment on the current move. This includes -remarks made with the ICS commands -.I say, tell, whisper, -and -.I kibitz. -Limitation: remarks that you type yourself are not recognized; -xboard -scans only the output from ICS, not the input you type to it. -.TP 8 -.B Auto Flag -If this option is on and one player runs out of time -before the other, -xboard -will automatically call his flag, claiming a win on time. -In ICS mode, Auto Flag will only call your opponent's flag, not yours, -and the ICS may award you a draw instead of a win if you have -insufficient mating material. In local chess engine mode, -xboard -may call either player's flag and will not take material into account. -.TP 8 -.B Auto Flip View -If the Auto Flip View option is on when you start a game, the board -will be automatically oriented so that your pawns move from the bottom -of the window towards the top. -.TP 8 -.B Auto Observe -If this option is on and you add a player to your -.IR gnotify -list on ICS, -xboard -will automatically observe all of that player's games, unless you are -doing something else (such as observing or playing a game of your own) when -one starts. -The games are displayed -from the point of view of the player on your gnotify list; that is, his -pawns move from the bottom of the window towards the top. -Exceptions: If both players in a game are on your gnotify list, if -your ICS -.IR highlight -variable is set to 0, or if the ICS you are using does not -properly support observing from Black's point of view, -you will see the game from White's point of view. -.TP 8 -.B Auto Raise Board -If this option is on, whenever a new game begins, the chessboard window -is deiconized (if necessary) and raised to the top of the stack of windows. -.TP 8 -.B Auto Save -If this option is on, at the end of every game -xboard -prompts you for a file name and appends a record -of the game to the file you specify. Disabled if the saveGameFile -option is set, as in that case all games are saved to the specified file. -.TP 8 -.B Blindfold -If this option is on, xboard displays the board as usual but does -not display pieces or move highlights. You can still move in the -usual way (with the mouse or by typing moves in ICS mode), even though -the pieces are invisible. -.TP 8 -.B Flash Moves -If this option is on, whenever a move is completed, the moved piece flashes. -The number of times to flash is set by the flashCount command-line -option; it defaults to 3 if Flash Moves is first turned on from the menu. -.TP 8 -.B Flip View -Inverts your view of the chess board for the duration of the current -game. Starting a new game returns the board to normal. -The "v" key is a keyboard equivalent. - -If you are -playing a game on the ICS, the board is always -oriented at the start of the game so that your -pawns move from the bottom of the window towards the top. -Otherwise, the starting orientation is determined by the flipView command line -option; if it is False (the default), White's pawns move from bottom -to top at the start of each game; if it is True, Black's pawns move -from bottom to top. -.TP 8 -.B Get Move List -If this option is on, whenever -xboard -receives the first board of a new ICS game (or a different ICS game from -the one it is currently displaying), it -retrieves the list of past moves from the ICS. -You can then review the moves with the Forward and Backward commands -or save them with Save Game. You might want to -turn off this option if you are observing several blitz games at once, -to keep from wasting time and network bandwidth fetching the move lists over -and over. -When you turn this option on from the menu, -xboard -immediately fetches the move list of the current game (if any). -.TP 8 -.B Highlight Last Move -If Highlight Last Move is on, after a move is made, the starting and -ending squares remain highlighted. In addition, after you use Backward -or Back to Start, the starting and ending squares of the last move to -be unmade are highlighted. -.TP 8 -.B Move Sound -If this option is on, -xboard -alerts you by playing a sound after each -of your opponent's moves (or after every move if -you are observing a game on the Internet Chess Server). -The sound is not played after moves you make -or moves read from a saved game file. By default, the -sound is the terminal bell, but on some systems you can change it -to a sound file using the soundMove option; see below. - -If you turn on this option when using -xboard -with the Internet Chess Server, you will probably want to -give the -.I "set bell 0" -command to the ICS, since otherwise the ICS -will ring the terminal bell after every move. -.TP 8 -.B ICS Alarm -When this option is on, an alarm sound is played when your clock -counts down to the icsAlarmTime (by default, 5 seconds) in an ICS -game. For games with time controls that include an increment, the -alarm will sound each time the clock counts down to the icsAlarmTime. -By default, the alarm sound is the terminal bell, but on some systems -you can change it to a sound file using the soundIcsAlarm option; see -below. -.TP 8 -.B Old Save Style -If this option is off, -xboard -saves games in PGN (portable game notation) and positions in FEN -(Forsythe-Edwards notation). If the option is on, -a save style that is compatible with older versions of -xboard -is used instead. The old position style is more human-readable than -FEN; the old game style has no particular advantages. -.TP 8 -.B Periodic Updates -If this option is off (or if -you are using a chess engine that does not support periodic updates), -the analysis window -will be updated only when the analysis changes. If this option is -on, the Analysis Window will be updated every two seconds. -.TP 8 -.B Ponder Next Move -If this option is off, the chess engine will think only when it is on -move. If the option is on, the engine will also think while waiting -for you to make your move. -.TP 8 -.B Popup Exit Message -If this option is on, when xboard wants to display a message just -before exiting, it brings up a modal dialog box and waits for you to -click OK before exiting. If the option is off, xboard prints the -message to standard error (the terminal) and exits immediately. -.TP 8 -.B Popup Move Errors -If this option is off, when you make an error in moving (such as -attempting an illegal move or moving the wrong color piece), the -error message is displayed in the message area. If the option is -on, move errors are displayed in small popup windows like other errors. -You can dismiss an error popup either by clicking its OK button or by -clicking anywhere on the board, including downclicking to start a move. -.TP 8 -.B Premove -If this option is on while playing a game on ICS, you can register -your next planned move before it is your turn. Move the piece with -the mouse in the ordinary way, and the starting and ending squares -will be highlighted with a special color (red by default). When it is -your turn, if your registered move is legal, xboard will send it to -ICS immediately; if not, it will be ignored and you can make a -different move. If you change your mind about your premove, either -make a different move, or double-click on any piece to cancel the move -entirely. -.TP 8 -.B Quiet Play -If this option is on, -xboard -will automatically issue an ICS -.I "set shout 0" -command whenever you start an ICS -game and a -.I "set shout 1" -command whenever you finish one. Thus you -will not be distracted by shouts from other ICS users while playing. -.TP 8 -.B Show Coords -If this option is on, -xboard -displays algebraic coordinates along the board's left and bottom edges. -.TP 8 -.B Show Thinking -If this option is on, the chess engine's notion of the score and best -line of play -from the current position is displayed as it is thinking. The score indicates -how many pawns ahead (or if negative, behind) the engine thinks it is. -When GNU Chess is thinking on your time, this thinking is not shown if GNU -Chess was compiled with the -DQUIETBACKGROUND option. -In matches between two machines, the score is prefixed by W or B to indicate -whether the display is of White's thinking or Black's, and thinking on the -opponent's time is never shown. -.TP 8 -.B Test Legality -If this option is on, xboard -tests whether moves you try to make with the mouse are legal, and -refuses to let you make an illegal move. Moves loaded from a file -with Load Game are also checked. -If the option is off, all moves are accepted, but -if a local chess engine or the ICS is active, -they will still reject illegal moves. Turning off this option is -useful if you are playing a chess variant with rules that -xboard -does not understand. (Bughouse, suicide, and wild variants where -the king may castle after starting on the d file are generally -supported with Test Legality on.) -.SH Help Menu -.TP 8 -.B Info XBoard -Displays the xboard -info file in a new window. For this feature to work, -you must have the GNU info program installed on your system, -and the file xboard.info must either be present in the current -working directory, or have been installed by -the -.I "make install" -command when you built -xboard. -.TP 8 -.B Man XBoard -Displays this man page in a new window. For this feature to work, -the file xboard.6 must have been installed by -the -.I "make install" -command when you built -xboard, -and the -directory it was placed in must be on the search path for your system's -.BR man (1) -command. -.TP 8 -.B Hint -Displays a move hint from the local chess engine. -.TP 8 -.B Book -Displays a list of possible moves from the local chess engine's opening book. -The first column gives moves, the second column gives one possible response -for each move, and the third column shows the number of lines in the -book that include the move from the first column. If you select this option -and nothing happens, the chess engine is out of its book or does not -support this command. -.TP 8 -.B About XBoard -Shows the current -xboard -version number. -.SH Other shortcut keys -.TP 8 -.B Iconize -Pressing the i or c key iconizes -xboard. -The graphical icon displays a white knight if it is White's move, or a -black knight if it is Black's move. If your X window manager displays only -text icons, not graphical ones, check its documentation; there is probably a -way to enable graphical icons. If you are running the Motif window manager -.BR mwm (1), -add these lines to your \&.Xdefaults file and restart mwm: - -.nf - Mwm*iconDecoration: activelabel label image - Mwm*XBoard*iconImageBackground: White - Mwm*XBoard*iconImageForeground: Black -.fi - -The first line above enables graphical icons in -.BR mwm ; -you don't need it if you already have them. -The next two lines force the white knights to come out white and the black -knights black. Unfortunately these resources can't be set from inside -xboard; -you have to set them in your \&.Xdefaults. -.PP -You can add or remove -xboard -shortcut keys -using the X resource -.IR form.translations . -Here is an example of what would go in your \&.Xdefaults file: - -.nf - XBoard*form.translations: \\ - Shift?: AboutGameProc() \\n \\ - y: AcceptProc() \\n \\ - n: DeclineProc() \\n \\ - i: NothingProc() -.fi - -Binding a key to NothingProc makes it do nothing, thus removing it as a -shortcut key. -The -xboard -functions that can be bound to keys are: - -.nf -AbortProc, AboutGameProc, AboutProc, AcceptProc, -AdjournProc, AlwaysQueenProc, AnalysisModeProc, -AnalyzeFileProc, AnimateDraggingProc, AnimateMovingProc, -AutobsProc, AutoflagProc, AutoflipProc, AutoraiseProc, -AutosaveProc, BackwardProc, BlindfoldProc, BookProc, -CallFlagProc, CopyGameProc, CopyPositionProc, DebugProc, -DeclineProc, DrawProc, EditCommentProc, EditGameProc, -EditPositionProc, EditTagsProc, EnterKeyProc, -FlashMovesProc, FlipViewProc, ForwardProc, -GetMoveListProc, HighlightLastMoveProc, HintProc, -Iconify, IcsAlarmProc, IcsAlarmProc, IcsClientProc, -IcsInputBoxProc, InfoProc, LoadGameProc, -LoadNextGameProc, LoadNextPositionProc, LoadPositionProc, -LoadPrevGameProc, LoadPrevPositionProc, LoadSelectedProc, -MachineBlackProc, MachineWhiteProc, MailMoveProc, -ManProc, MoveNowProc, MoveSoundProc, NothingProc, -OldSaveStyleProc, PasteGameProc, PastePositionProc, -PauseProc, PeriodicUpdatesProc, PonderNextMoveProc, -PopupExitMessageProc, PopupMoveErrorsProc, PremoveProc, -QuietPlayProc, QuitProc, ReloadCmailMsgProc, -ReloadGameProc, ReloadPositionProc, RematchProc, -ResetProc, ResignProc, RetractMoveProc, RevertProc, -SaveGameProc, SavePositionProc, ShowCoordsProc, -ShowGameListProc, ShowThinkingProc, StopExaminingProc, -StopObservingProc, TestLegalityProc, ToEndProc, -ToStartProc, TrainingProc, TruncateGameProc, and -TwoMachinesProc. -.fi -.SH OPTIONS -.PP -This section documents the command-line options to -xboard. -You can set these options in two ways: by typing them on the shell -command line you use to start -xboard, -or by setting them as X resources (typically in your \&.Xdefaults file). -Many of the options cannot be changed while -xboard -is running; others set the initial state of items -that can be changed with the Options menu. -.PP -Most of the -options have both a long name and a short name. -To turn a boolean option on or off from the command line, either give -its long name followed by the value True or False -.RI ( -longOptionName -True), or give -just the short name to turn the option on -.RI ( -opt ), -or the short name preceded by "x" to turn the option off -.RI ( - x opt ). -For options that take strings or numbers as values, you can use the long or -short option names interchangeably. -.PP -Each option corresponds to an X resource -with the same name, so if you like, you can set options in your -.IR \&.Xdefaults -file or in a file named XBoard in your home directory. -For options that have two names, the longer -one is the name of the corresponding X resource; the short name is not -recognized. -To turn a boolean option on or off as an X resource, -give its long name followed by the value True or False -.RI (XBoard* longOptionName : -True). -.SH Chess Engine Options -All of these options apply to both the GNU Chess and Crafty -chess engines. -.TP 8 -.B -tc \fRor\fB -timeControl minutes[:seconds] -Each player begins with his clock set to the timeControl period. -Default: 5 minutes. -The additional options movesPerSession and timeIncrement are mutually -exclusive. -.TP 8 -.B -mps \fRor\fB -movesPerSession moves -When both players have made movesPerSession moves, a -new timeControl period is added to both clocks. Default: 40 moves. -.TP 8 -.B -inc \fRor\fB -timeIncrement seconds -If this option is specified, movesPerSession is ignored. -Instead, after each player's move, timeIncrement seconds are -added to his clock. -Use -timeIncrement 0 if you want to require the entire -game to be played in one timeControl period, with no increment. -Default: -1, which specifies movesPerSession mode. -.TP 8 -.B -clock/-xclock \fRor\fB -clockMode True/False -Determines whether or not to display the chess clocks. -If clockMode is False, the clocks are not shown, but the -side that is to play next is still highlighted. Also, unless -searchTime is set, the chess engine still keeps track of the -clock time and uses it to determine how fast to make its moves. -.TP 8 -.B -st \fRor\fB -searchTime minutes[:seconds] -Tells the chess engine to spend at most the given amount of time searching -for each of its moves. Without this option, the engine chooses -its search time based on the number of moves and amount of time -remaining until the next time control. -Setting this option also sets clockMode to False. -.TP 8 -.B -depth \fRor\fB -searchDepth number -Tells the chess engine -to look ahead at most the given number of moves when searching -for a move to make. Without this option, the engine chooses -its search depth based on the number of moves and amount of time -remaining until the next time control. -With the option, -the engine will cut off its search early if it reaches the specified depth. -.TP 8 -.B -thinking/-xthinking \fRor\fB -showThinking True/False -Sets the Show Thinking menu option. Default: False. -.TP 8 -.B -ponder/-xponder \fRor\fB -ponderNextMove True/False -Sets the Ponder Next Move menu option. Default: True. -.TP 8 -.B -mg \fRor\fB -matchGames n -Automatically runs an \fIn\fP-game match between two chess engines, -with alternating colors. -If the loadGameFile or loadPositionFile option is set, -xboard -starts each game with the given opening moves or the given position; -otherwise, the games start with the standard initial chess position. -If the saveGameFile -option is set, a move record for the match -is appended to the specified file. -If the savePositionFile -option is set, the final position reached in each game of the match -is appended to the specified file. -When the match is over, -xboard -displays the match score and exits. Default: 0 (do not run a match). -.TP 8 -.B -mm/-xmm \fRor\fB -matchMode True/False -Provided for backward compatibility. -If true and matchGames is 0, sets matchGames to 1. -.TP 8 -.B -fcp \fRor\fB -firstChessProgram program -Name of first chess engine. -Default: -.IR gnuchessx . -.TP 8 -.B -scp \fRor\fB -secondChessProgram program -Name of second chess engine. -A second chess engine is started only in Two Machines (match) mode. -Default: -.IR gnuchessx . -.TP 8 -.B -fb/-xfb \fRor\fB -firstPlaysBlack True/False -In games between two chess engines, firstChessProgram normally -plays white. (This is a change from earlier versions of -xboard.) -If this option is True, firstChessProgram plays black. -In a multi-game match, this option affects the colors only for -the first game; they still alternate in subsequent games. -.TP 8 -.B -fh \fRor\fB -firstHost host -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -.B -sh \fRor\fB -secondHost host -Hosts on which the chess engines are to be run. -The default for each is -.IR localhost . -If you specify another host, -xboard -uses -.BR rsh (1) -to run the chess engine there. -(You can substitute a different remote shell program for rsh using the -remoteShell option described below.) -.PD -.TP 8 -.B -fd \fRor\fB -firstDirectory dir -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -.B -sd \fRor\fB -secondDirectory dir -Working directories in which the chess engines are to be run. -The default for both is "", which means to run the chess engine -in the same working directory as -xboard -itself. (See the CHESSDIR environment variable.) -This option is effective only when the chess engine is being run -on the local host; it does not work if the engine is run remotely -using the -fh or -sh option. -.PD -.TP 8 -.B -initString string -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -.B -secondInitString string -The string that is sent to initialize each chess engine for a new game. -Default: -.nf - new - random -.fi -Setting this option from the command line is tricky, -because you must type in real newline characters, including one at the end. -In most shells you can -do this by entering a "\\" character followed by a newline. -It is easier to set the option from your \&.Xdefaults file; -in that case you can include the character sequence "\\n" in the string, and -it will be converted to a newline. - -If you change this option, don't remove the -.I new -command; it is required by all chess engines to start a new game. - -You can remove the -.I random -command if you -like; including it causes GNU Chess to randomize its move selection slightly so -that it doesn't play the same moves in every game. -Even without -.IR random , -GNU Chess -randomizes its choice of moves from its opening book. Crafty -ignores this command; it randomizes by default. - -You can also try adding other commands to the initString; -see the GNU Chess or Crafty documentation for details. -.PD -.TP 8 -.B -firstComputerString string -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -.B -secondComputerString string -The string that is sent to the chess engine if its opponent is another -computer chess engine. The default is "computer\\n". Probably the -only useful alternative is the empty string (""), which keeps the -engine from knowing that it is playing another computer. -.PD -.TP 8 -.B -reuse/-xreuse \fRor\fB -reuseFirst True/False -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -.B -reuse2/-xreuse2 \fRor\fB -reuseSecond True/False -If the option is False, -xboard -kills off the chess engine after every game and starts it again -for the next game. -If the option is True (the default), -xboard -starts the chess engine only once -and uses it repeatedly to play multiple games. -Some chess engines may not work properly when -reuse is turned on, such as versions of Crafty earlier than 12.0, -but otherwise new games will start faster if it is left on. -.PD -.TP 8 -.B -firstProtocolVersion version-number -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -.B -secondProtocolVersion version-number -This option specifies which version of the chess engine communication -protocol to use. By default, version-number is 2. In version 1, the -"protover" command is not sent to the engine; since version 1 is a -subset of version 2, nothing else changes. Other values for -version-number are not supported. -.PD -.SH Internet Chess Server Options -.TP 8 -.B -ics/-xics \fRor\fB -internetChessServerMode True/False -Connect with an Internet Chess Server to play chess against -its other users, observe games they are playing, or -review games that have recently finished. Default: False. -.TP 8 -.B -icshost \fRor\fB -internetChessServerHost host -The Internet host name or address of the chess server to connect -to when in ICS mode. -Default: chessclub.com. -See the file -.I ics-addresses -in the -xboard -source distribution for a list of other addresses to try. -If your site doesn't have a working Internet name server, try -specifying the host address in numeric form. You may also need -to specify the numeric address when using the icshelper option -with timestamp or timeseal (see below). -At this writing, -chessclub.com is 207.99.5.190 and freechess.org (formerly fics.onenet.net) -is 164.58.253.13. -.TP 8 -.B -icsport \fRor\fB -internetChessServerPort port-number -The port number to use when connecting to a chess server in ICS mode. -Default: 5000. -.TP 8 -.B -icshelper \fRor\fB -internetChessServerHelper prog-name -An external helper program used to communicate with the chess server. -You would set it to "timestamp" for ICC (chessclub.com) or -"timeseal" for FICS (freechess.org, eics.daimi.aau.dk, etc.), after -obtaining the correct version of timestamp or timeseal for your -computer. See "help timestamp" on ICC and "help timeseal" on FICS. -This option is shorthand for "-useTelnet -telnetProgram program". -.TP 8 -.B -telnet/-xtelnet \fRor\fB -useTelnet True/False -This option is poorly named; it should be called useHelper. -If set to True, it instructs -xboard -to run an external program to communicate with the Internet Chess -Server. The program to use is given by the telnetProgram option. -If the option is False (the default), -xboard -opens a TCP socket and uses its own internal implementation -of the telnet protocol to communicate with the ICS. -See the FIREWALLS section -below for an explanation of when this option is useful. -.TP 8 -.B -telnetProgram prog-name -This option is poorly named; it should be called helperProgram. -It gives the name of the telnet program to be used with the -gateway and useTelnet options. The default is -.IR telnet . -The telnet program -is invoked with the value of internetChessServerHost as its first argument -and the value of internetChessServerPort as its second argument. -See the FIREWALLS section below for an explanation of when this option is -useful. -.TP 8 -.B -gateway host-name -If this option is set to a host name, -xboard -communicates with the Internet Chess Server by using -.BR rsh (1) -to run the telnetProgram -on the given host, instead of using its own internal implementation -of the telnet protocol. -You can substitute a different remote shell program for rsh with the -remoteShell option described below. -See the FIREWALLS section below for an explanation of when this option is -useful. -.TP 8 -.B -internetChessServerCommPort \fRor\fB -icscomm dev-name -If this option is set, -xboard -communicates with the ICS through the given character I/O device -instead of opening a TCP connection. -Use this option if your system -does not have any kind of Internet connection itself (not -even a SLIP or PPP connection), but you do have dialup access -(or a hardwired terminal line) to an Internet -service provider from which you can telnet to the ICS. - -The support for this option in -xboard -is minimal. You need to set all communication parameters and tty modes -before you enter -xboard. - -Use a script something like this: - -.nf - stty raw -echo 9600 > /dev/tty00 - xboard -ics -icscomm /dev/tty00 -.fi - -Here replace -.IR /dev/tty00 -with the name of the device that your -modem is connected to. -You might have to add several more options to these stty commands. See the -man pages for -.BR stty (1) -and -.BR tty (4) -if you run into problems. Also, on many systems -stty works on its standard input instead of standard output, so you -have to use "<" instead of ">". - -If you are using linux, try starting with the script below. Change it as -necessary for your installation. - -.nf - ################################################## - #!/bin/sh -f - # configure modem and fire up xboard - - # configure modem - ( stty 2400 ; stty raw ; stty hupcl ; stty -clocal - stty ignbrk ; stty ignpar ; stty ixon ; stty ixoff - stty -iexten ; stty -echo ) < /dev/modem - - xboard -ics -icscomm /dev/modem - ################################################## -.fi - -After you start -xboard -in this way, type whatever commands are necessary to dial out to -your Internet provider and log in. -Then telnet to ICS, using a command like -.IR "telnet chessclub.com 5000" . -Important: See the paragraph in the LIMITATIONS section below -about extra echoes. -.TP 8 -.B -icslogon \fRor\fB -internetChessServerLogonScript file-name -Whenever -xboard -connects to the Internet Chess Server, if it finds a file with -the name given in this option, -it feeds the file's contents to the ICS as commands. -The default file name is -.IR .icsrc . -Usually the first two lines of the file should be your ICS user name -and password. -The file can be either in $CHESSDIR, in -xboard's -working directory if CHESSDIR is not set, or in your home directory. -.TP 8 -.B -msLoginDelay delay -If you experience trouble logging onto an ICS using the -.B -icslogon -option, inserting some delay between characters of the login -script may help. This option inserts -.B delay -milliseconds of delay per character. Good values to -try are 100 and 250. -.TP 8 -.B -icsinput/-xicsinput \fRor\fB -internetChessServerInputBox True/False -Sets ICS Input Box on the mode menu. Default: False. -.TP 8 -.B -autocomm/-xautocomm \fRor\fB -autoComment True/False -Sets the Auto Comment menu option. Default: False. -.TP 8 -.B -autoflag/-xautoflag \fRor\fB -autoCallFlag True/False -Sets the Auto Flag menu option. Default: False. -.TP 8 -.B -autobs/-xautobs \fRor\fB -autoObserve True/False -Sets the Auto Observe menu option. Default: False. -.TP 8 -.B -moves/-xmoves \fRor\fB -getMoveList True/False -Sets the Get Move List menu option. Default: True. -.TP 8 -.B -alarm/-xalarm \fRor\fB -icsAlarm True/False -Sets the ICS Alarm menu option. Default: True. -.TP 8 -.B -icsAlarmTime ms -Sets the time in milliseconds for the ICS Alarm menu option. Default: 5000. -.TP 8 -.B -pre/-xpre \fRor\fB -premove True/False -Sets the Premove menu option. Default: True. -.TP 8 -.B -quiet/-xquiet \fRor\fB -quietPlay True/False -Sets the Quiet Play menu option. Default: False. -Default: False. -.TP 8 -.B -colorize/-xcolorize \fRor\fB -colorizeMessages TrueFalse -Setting -.I colorizeMessages -to True causes -xboard -to colorize the messages received from the ICS. -Colorization works only if your xterm -supports ISO 6429 escape sequences for changing text colors. -.TP 8 -.B -colorShout foreground,background,bold -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -.B -colorSShout foreground,background,bold -.TP 8 -.B -colorChannel foreground,background,bold -.TP 8 -.B -colorKibitz foreground,background,bold -.TP 8 -.B -colorTell foreground,background,bold -.TP 8 -.B -colorChallenge foreground,background,bold -.TP 8 -.B -colorRequest foreground,background,bold -.TP 8 -.B -colorSeek foreground,background,bold -.TP 8 -.B -colorNormal foreground,background,bold -.PD -These options set the colors used when colorizing ICS messages. -All ICS messages are grouped into one of these categories: -shout, sshout, channel 1, other channel, kibitz, tell, challenge, -request (including abort, adjourn, draw, pause, and takeback), -seek, or normal (all other messages). - -Each foreground or background argument can be one of the following: -black, red, green, yellow, blue, magenta, cyan, white, or default. -Here "default" means the default foreground or background color of -your xterm. Bold can be 1 or 0. If background is omitted, "default" -is assumed; if bold is omitted, 0 is assumed. - -Here is an example of how to set the colors in your \&.Xdefaults file. -The colors shown here are the default values; you will get -them if you turn -colorize on without specifying your own colors. - -.nf - xboard*colorizeMessages: true - xboard*colorShout: green - xboard*colorSShout: green, black, 1 - xboard*colorChannel1: cyan - xboard*colorChannel: cyan, black, 1 - xboard*colorKibitz: magenta, black, 1 - xboard*colorTell: yellow, black, 1 - xboard*colorChallenge: red, black, 1 - xboard*colorRequest: red - xboard*colorSeek: blue - xboard*colorNormal: default -.fi -.TP 8 -.B -soundProgram progname -If this option is set to a sound-playing program that is installed and -working on your system, xboard can play sound files when certain -events occur, listed below. The default program name is "play". If -any of the sound options is set to "$", the event rings the terminal -bell by sending a ^G character to standard output, instead of playing -a sound file. If an option is set to the empty string "", no sound is -played for that event. -.TP 8 -.B -soundShout filename -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -.B -soundSShout filename -.TP 8 -.B -soundChannel filename -.TP 8 -.B -soundKibitz filename -.TP 8 -.B -soundTell filename -.TP 8 -.B -soundChallenge filename -.TP 8 -.B -soundRequest filename -.TP 8 -.B -soundSeek filename -.PD -These sounds are triggered in the same way as the colorization events -described above. They all default to "", no sound. They are played -only if the colorizeMessages is on. -.TP 8 -.B -soundMove filename -This sound is used by the Move Sound menu option. Default: "$". -.TP 8 -.B -soundIcsAlarm filename -This sound is used by the ICS Alarm menu option. Default: "$". -.TP 8 -.B -soundIcsWin filename -This sound is played when you win an ICS game. Default: "" (no sound). -.TP 8 -.B -soundIcsLoss filename -This sound is played when you lose an ICS game. Default: "" (no sound). -.TP 8 -.B -soundIcsDraw filename -This sound is played when you draw an ICS game. Default: "" (no sound). -.TP 8 -.B -soundIcsUnfinished filename -This sound is played when an ICS game that you are participating in is -aborted, adjourned, or otherwise ends inconclusively. Default: "" (no -sound). - -Here is an example of how to set the sounds in your \&.Xdefaults file. - -.nf - xboard*soundShout: shout.wav - xboard*soundSShout: sshout.wav - xboard*soundChannel1: channel1.wav - xboard*soundChannel: channel.wav - xboard*soundKibitz: kibitz.wav - xboard*soundTell: tell.wav - xboard*soundChallenge: challenge.wav - xboard*soundRequest: request.wav - xboard*soundSeek: seek.wav - xboard*soundMove: move.wav - xboard*soundIcsWin: win.wav - xboard*soundIcsLoss: lose.wav - xboard*soundIcsDraw: draw.wav - xboard*soundIcsUnfinished: unfinished.wav - xboard*soundIcsAlarm: alarm.wav -.fi -.SH Load and Save Options -.TP 8 -.B -lgf \fRor\fB -loadGameFile file -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -.B -lgi \fRor\fB -loadGameIndex index -If the loadGameFile option is set, -xboard -loads the specified game file at startup. -The file name "-" specifies the standard input. -If there is more than one game in the file, -xboard -pops up a menu of the available games, with entries based on their PGN -(portable game notation) tags. -If the loadGameIndex option is set to -.IR N , -the menu is suppressed and -the -.IR N th -game found in the file is loaded immediately. -The menu is also suppressed if matchMode is enabled or if the game file -is a pipe; in these cases the first game in -the file is loaded immediately. Use the -.BR pxboard -shell script if you want to pipe files containing multiple games into -xboard -and still see the menu. -.PD -.TP 8 -.B -td \fRor\fB -timeDelay seconds -Time delay between moves during \fBLoad Game\fR. -Fractional seconds are allowed; try -td 0.4. -A time delay value of -1 tells -xboard -not to step through game files automatically. -Default: 1 second. -.TP 8 -.B -sgf \fRor\fB -saveGameFile file -If this option is set, -xboard -appends a record of every game played to the specified file. -The file name "-" specifies the standard output. -.TP 8 -.B -autosave/-xautosave \fRor\fB -autoSaveGames True/False -Sets the Auto Save menu option. -Ignored if saveGameFile is set. -Default: False. -.TP 8 -.B -lpf \fRor\fB -loadPositionFile file -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -.B -lpi \fRor\fB -loadPositionIndex index -If the loadPositionFile option is set, -xboard -loads the specified position file at startup. -The file name "-" specifies the standard input. -If the loadPositionIndex option is set to -.IR N , -the -.IR N th -position found in the file is loaded; otherwise the first position is loaded. -.PD -.TP 8 -.B -spf \fRor\fB -savePositionFile file -If this option is set, -xboard -appends the final position reached in -every game played to the specified file. -The file name "-" specifies the standard output. -.TP 8 -.B -oldsave/-xoldsave \fRor\fB -oldSaveStyle True/False -Sets the Old Save Style menu option. Default: False. -.SH User Interface Options -.TP 8 -.B standard Xt options -xboard -accepts standard Xt options like -display, -geometry, and -iconic. -.TP 8 -.B -movesound/-xmovesound \fRor\fB -ringBellAfterMoves True/False -Sets the Move Sound menu option. Default: False. -For upward compatibility, -bell/-xbell are also accepted as abbreviations -for this option. -.TP 8 -.B -exit/-xexit \fRor\fB -popupExitMessage True/False -Sets the Popup Exit Message menu option. Default: True. -.TP 8 -.B -popup/-xpopup \fRor\fB -popupMoveErrors True/False -Sets the Popup Move Errors menu option. Default: False. -.TP 8 -.B -queen/-xqueen \fRor\fB -alwaysPromoteToQueen True/False -Sets the Always Queen menu option. Default: False. -.TP 8 -.B -legal/-xlegal \fRor\fB -testLegality True/False -Sets the Test Legality menu option. Default: True. -.TP 8 -.B -size \fRor\fB -boardSize "(sizeName | n1,n2,n3,n4,n5,n6,n7)" -Determines how large the board will be, by selecting the pixel size -of the pieces and setting a few related parameters. -The sizeName can be one of: Titanic, giving 129x129 pixel pieces, -Colossal 116x116, Giant 108x108, Huge 95x95, Big 87x87, Large 80x80, Bulky 72x72, -Medium 64x64, Moderate 58x58, Average 54x54, Middling 49x49, Mediocre -45x45, Small 40x40, Slim 37x37, Petite 33x33, Dinky 29x29, Teeny 25x25, -or Tiny 21x21. -Pieces of all these sizes are built into xboard. Other sizes can -be used if you have them; see the pixmapDirectory and bitmapDirectory -options. -The default depends on the size of your screen; it is approximately the -largest size that will fit without clipping. - -You can select other sizes or vary other layout parameters by providing -a list of comma-separated values (with no spaces) as the argument. -You do not need to provide all the values; for any you omit from the -end of the list, defaults are taken from the nearest built-in size. -The value n1 gives the piece size, n2 the width of the black border -between squares, n3 the desired size for the -.IR clockFont , -n4 the desired size for the -.IR coordFont , -n5 the desired size for the default -.IR font , -n6 the smallLayout flag (0 or 1), and n7 the tinyLayout flag (0 or 1). -All dimensions are in pixels. -If the border between squares is eliminated (0 width), the various -highlight options will not work, as there is nowhere to draw the highlight. -If smallLayout is 1 and -.I titleInWindow -is True, -the window layout is rearranged to make more room for the title. -If tinyLayout is 1, the labels on the menu bar are abbreviated -to one character each and the buttons in the button bar are made narrower. -.TP 8 -.B -coords/-xcoords \fRor\fB -showCoords True/False -Sets the Show Coords menu option. Default: False. -The -.IR coordFont -option specifies what font to use. -.TP 8 -.B -autoraise/-xautoraise \fRor\fB -autoRaiseBoard True/False -Sets the Auto Raise Board menu option. Default: True. -.TP 8 -.B -autoflip/-xautoflip \fRor\fB -autoFlipView True/False -Sets the Auto Flip View menu option. Default: True. -.TP 8 -.B -flip/-xflip \fRor\fB -flipView True/False -If Auto Flip View is not set, or if you are observing but not participating -in a game, then the positioning of the board at the start of each game -depends on the flipView option. If flipView is False (the default), -the board is positioned so that the white pawns move from the bottom to the -top; if True, the black pawns move from the bottom to the top. -In any case, the Flip menu option can be used to flip the board after -the game starts. -.TP 8 -.B -title/-xtitle \fRor\fB -titleInWindow True/False -If this option is True, -xboard -displays player names (for ICS games) and game file names (for Load -Game) inside its main window. If the option is False (the default), -this information is displayed only in the window banner. You probably -won't want to set this option unless the information is not showing up -in the banner, as happens with a few X window managers. -.TP 8 -.B -buttons/-xbuttons \fRor\fB -showButtonBar True/False -If this option is False, xboard omits the [<<] [<] [P] [>] [>>] button -bar from the window, allowing the message line to be wider. You can -still get the functions of these buttons using the menus or their keyboard -shortcuts. Default: True. -.TP 8 -.B -mono/-xmono \fRor\fB -monoMode True/False -Determines whether -xboard -displays its pieces and squares with two colors (True) or four (False). -You shouldn't have to specify monoMode; -xboard -will determine if it is necessary. -.TP 8 -\fB\-flashCount\fP \fIcount\fP -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -\fB\-flashRate\fP \fIrate\fP -.TP 8 -\fB\-flash\fP -.TP 8 -\fB\-xflash\fP -These options enable flashing of pieces when they -land on their destination square. -.B flashCount -tells XBoard how many times to flash a piece after it -lands on its destination square. -.B flashRate -controls the rate of flashing (flashes/sec). -Abbreviations: -.B flash -sets flashCount to 3. -.B xflash -sets flashCount to 0. -Defaults: flashCount=0 (no flashing), flashRate=5. -.PD -.TP 8 -.B -highlight/-xhighlight \fRor\fB -highlightLastMove True/False -Sets the Highlight Last Move menu option. Default: False. -.TP 8 -.B -blind/-xblind \fRor\fB -blindfold True/False -Sets the Blindfold menu option. Default: False. -.TP 8 -.B -clockFont font -The font used for the clocks. -If the option -value is a pattern that does not specify the font size, -xboard -tries to choose an appropriate font for the board size being used. -Default: -*-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*. -.TP 8 -.B -coordFont font -The font used for rank and file coordinate labels if -.IR showCoords -is True. -If the option -value is a pattern that does not specify the font size, -xboard -tries to choose an appropriate font for the board size being used. -Default: -*-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*. -.TP 8 -.B -font font -The font used for popup dialogs, menus, comments, etc. -If the option -value is a pattern that does not specify the font size, -xboard -tries to choose an appropriate font for the board size being used. -Default: -*-helvetica-medium-r-normal--*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*. -.TP 8 -.B -fontSizeTolerance tol -In the font selection algorithm, a nonscalable font will be preferred -over a scalable font if the nonscalable font's size differs by tol pixels -or less from the desired size. A value of -1 will force -a scalable font to always be used if available; a value of 0 will -use a nonscalable font only if it is exactly the right size; -a large value (say 1000) will force a nonscalable font to always be -used if available. Default: 4. -.TP 8 -.B -bm \fRor\fB -bitmapDirectory dir -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -.B -pixmap \fRor\fB -pixmapDirectory dir -.PD -These options control what piece images xboard uses. The xboard -distribution includes one set of pixmap pieces in xpm format, in the -directory \fIpixmaps\fR, and two sets of bitmap pieces in xbm format, -in the directories \fIbitmaps\fR and \fIbitmaps.xchess\fR. Pixmap -pieces give a better appearance on the screen: the white pieces have -dark borders, and the black pieces have opaque internal details. With -bitmaps, neither piece color has a border, and the internal details -are transparent; you see the square color or other background color -through them. - -If xboard is configured and compiled on a system that includes libXpm, -the X pixmap library, the xpm pixmap pieces are compiled in as the -default. A different xpm piece set can be selected at runtime with -the -pixmapDirectory option, or a bitmap piece set can be selected -with the -bitmapDirectory option. - -If xboard is configured and compiled on a system that does not include -libXpm (or the --disable-xpm option is given to the configure -program), the bitmap pieces are compiled in as the default. It is not -possible to use xpm pieces in this case, but pixmap pieces in another -format called "xim" can be used by giving the -pixmapDirectory option. -Or again, a different bitmap piece set can be selected with the --bitmapDirectory option. - -Files in the bitmapDirectory must be named as follows: -The first character of a piece bitmap name gives the piece it -represents (p, n, b, r, q, or k), -the next characters give the size in pixels, the -following character indicates whether the piece is solid or outline (s or o), -and the extension is ".bm". -For example, a solid 80x80 knight would be named "n80s.bm". -The outline bitmaps are used only in monochrome mode. -If bitmap pieces are compiled in and the bitmapDirectory is missing -some files, the compiled in pieces are used instead. - -If the bitmapDirectory option is given, -it is also possible to replace xboard's icons and menu checkmark, -by supplying files named "icon_white.bm", "icon_black.bm", and -"checkmark.bm". - -You can import pixmap pieces from the -.B ZIICS -distribution by using the -.B zic2xpm -program to convert them. This program produces both xpm and xim -pixmaps, so you can use these pieces even if you do not have xpm -support compiled into your xboard. ZIICS provides a large number of -piece sets to choose from. Here's how to import them: -.sp -1) Download the ZIICS distribution. It is available from - -.nf - ftp://ftp.freechess.org/pub/chess/DOS/ziics131.exe -.fi -.sp -2) Unzip it into a directory, for example: - -.nf - unzip -L ziics131.exe -d ~/ziics -.fi -.sp -3) Pick a chess set you want to use, for example the FRITZ4 set. -Create a directory to hold the pieces, then run the -.B zic2xpm -program to create the pieces: - -.nf - mkdir ~/fritz4 - cd ~/fritz4 - zic2xpm ~/ziics/fritz4.* -.fi -.sp -(The -.B zic2xpm -program is in the directory where -xboard -was compiled, -in case you didn't do a -.IR "make install" .) -.sp -4) Now, just add the -.B -pixmapDirectory -option when you start -xboard: - -.nf - xboard -pixmapDirectory ~/fritz4 -.fi -.sp -Or add the option to your .Xdefaults file: - -.nf - xboard*pixmapDirectory: ~/fritz4 -.fi -.TP 8 -.B -whitePieceColor color -.PD 0 -.TP 8 -.B -blackPieceColor color -.TP 8 -.B -lightSquareColor color -.TP 8 -.B -darkSquareColor color -.TP 8 -.B -highlightSquareColor color -.TP 8 -.B -premoveHighlightColor color -.PD -Colors to use for the pieces, squares, and square highlights. -Defaults: - -.nf - -whitePieceColor #FFFFCC - -blackPieceColor #202020 - -lightSquareColor #C8C365 - -darkSquareColor #77A26D - -highlightSquareColor #FFFF00 - -premoveHighlightColor #FF0000 -.fi - -If you are using a grayscale monitor, try setting the colors to: - -.nf - -whitePieceColor gray100 - -blackPieceColor gray0 - -lightSquareColor gray80 - -darkSquareColor gray60 - -highlightSquareColor gray100 - -premoveHighlightColor gray70 -.fi -.TP 8 -.B -drag/-xdrag \fRor\fB -animateDragging True/False -Sets the Animate Dragging menu option. Default: True. -.TP 8 -.B -animate/-xanimate \fRor\fB -animateMoving True/False -Sets the Animate Moving menu option. Default: True. -.TP 8 -.B -animateSpeed n -Number of milliseconds delay between each animation frame when Animate -Moves is on. -.SH Other Options -.TP 8 -.B -ncp/-xncp \fRor\fB -noChessProgram True/False -If this option is True, -xboard -acts as a passive chessboard; it does not -start a chess engine at all. -Turning on this option also turns off clockMode. -Default: False. -.TP 8 -.B -mode \fRor\fB -initialMode modename -If this option is given, xboard selects the given \fImodename\fP -from the Mode menu after starting and (if applicable) processing the -loadGameFile or loadPositionFile option. Default: "" (no selection). -Other supported values are -MachineWhite, MachineBlack, TwoMachines, Analysis, -AnalyzeFile, EditGame, EditPosition, and Training. -.TP 8 -.B -variant varname -Activates preliminary, partial support for playing chess variants -against a local engine or editing variant games. This flag is not -needed in ICS mode. Recognized variant names are: - -.nf - normal Normal chess - wildcastle Shuffle chess, king can castle from d file - nocastle Shuffle chess, no castling allowed - fischerandom Fischer Random shuffle chess - bughouse Bughouse, ICC/FICS rules - crazyhouse Crazyhouse, ICC/FICS rules - losers Lose all pieces or get mated (ICC wild 17) - suicide Lose all pieces including king (FICS) - giveaway Try to have no legal moves (ICC wild 26) - twokings Weird ICC wild 9 - kriegspiel Opponent's pieces are invisible - atomic Capturing piece explodes (ICC wild 27) - 3check Win by giving check 3 times (ICC wild 25) - shatranj An ancient precursor of chess (ICC wild 28) - unknown Catchall for other unknown variants -.fi - -In the shuffle variants, xboard does not shuffle the pieces, but -you can do it by hand using Edit Position. Some variants are -supported only in ICS mode, including fischerandom, bughouse, and -kriegspiel. The winning/drawing conditions in crazyhouse (offboard -interposition on mate), losers, suicide, giveaway, atomic, and 3check -are not fully understood. In crazyhouse, xboard does not yet keep -track of offboard pieces. Shatranj is unsupported, but it may be -usable if you turn off Test Legality. -.TP 8 -.B -debug/-xdebug \fRor\fB -debugMode True/False -Turns on debugging printout. -.TP 8 -.B -rsh \fRor\fB -remoteShell shell-name -Name of the command used to run programs remotely. -The default is -.I rsh -or -.IR remsh , -determined when -xboard -is configured and compiled. -.TP 8 -.B -ruser \fRor\fB -remoteUser user-name -User name on the remote system when running programs with the remoteShell. -The default is your local user name. -.SH ANALYSIS MODES -.PP -If you are using a chess engine that supports analysis, -such as Crafty, you can use xboard -to analyze your games. -GNU Chess does not support analysis. -See the section titled GETTING CRAFTY -for more information on obtaining and installing Crafty. -There are a few ways to analyze: -.sp -.RS +.6i -.ti -4 -.B Analyzing a stored game (PGN, etc): -Choose -.I Analyze File -from the -.I Mode Menu. -Type the name of the file you wish to load. -If the file contains multiple games, another popup will -appear to let you choose which game you want to analyze. -Use the arrow buttons to move through the game and watch -the engine's analysis. -.sp -.ti -4 -.B Setting up a position to analyze -Choose -.I Edit Position -from the -.I Mode Menu. -Edit the board (the right and middle mouse buttons bring up -the black/white piece menus). When finished editing, click on -either the White or Black clock to tell -xboard -whose turn it is -to move. Choose -.I Analysis Mode -from the -.I Mode Menu. -Watch the analysis, move pieces around, etc. -.sp -.ti -4 -.B Analyzing a new game -If you want to start a new analysis from a fresh board, -choose -.I Reset Game -from the -.I File Menu, -then choose -.I Analysis Mode -from the -.I Mode Menu. -Now you can move pieces around and watch the engine's analysis. -.RE -.SH GETTING CRAFTY -.PP -Crafty is a chess engine written by Bob Hyatt (hyatt@cis.uab.edu). -You can use XBoard to play a game against Crafty, hook Crafty up -to an ICS, or use Crafty to interactively analyze games and positions -for you. - -Crafty is a strong, rapidly evolving chess program. This rapid -pace of development is good, because it means Crafty is always -getting better. This can sometimes cause problems with -backwards compatibility, but usually the latest version of Crafty -will work well with the latest version of xboard. -Crafty can be obtained from its author's FTP site: -ftp://ftp.cis.uab.edu/hyatt/. - -To use Crafty with XBoard, give the -fcp and -fd options as follows, where -.I crafty's-directory -is the directory in which you installed Crafty -and placed its book and other support files. - -.nf - xboard -fcp crafty -fd \fIcrafty's-directory\fR -.fi -.SH FIREWALLS -.PP -By default, -.B xboard -ics -communicates with an Internet Chess Server by opening a TCP socket -directly from the machine it is running on to the ICS. If there is a -firewall between your machine and the ICS, this won't work. Here are some -recipes for getting around common kinds of firewalls using special options to -xboard. -Important: See the paragraph in the LIMITATIONS section below -about extra echoes. - -Suppose that you can't telnet directly to ICS, but you can telnet to a -firewall host, log in, and then telnet from there to ICS. Let's say the -firewall is called fire.wall.com. Set command-line options as -follows: - -.nf - xboard -ics -icshost fire.wall.com -icsport 23 -.fi - -Or in your \&.Xdefaults file: - -.nf - XBoard*internetChessServerHost: fire.wall.com - XBoard*internetChessServerPort: 23 -.fi - -Then when you run -xboard -in ICS mode, you will be prompted to log in to the firewall host. -(This works because port 23 is the standard telnet login service.) -Log in, then telnet to ICS, using a command like -.IR "telnet chessclub.com 5000" , -or whatever command the firewall provides for telnetting to port 5000. - -If your firewall lets you telnet (or rlogin) to remote hosts, but doesn't let -you telnet to port 5000, you will have to find some other host outside the -firewall that does let you do this, and hop through it. For instance, suppose -you have an account at foo.edu. Follow the recipe above, but -instead of typing -.I "telnet chessclub.com 5000" -to the firewall, type -.I "telnet foo.edu" -(or -.IR "rlogin foo.edu" ), -log in there, and -then type -.IR "telnet chessclub.com 5000" . - -Exception: chessclub.com itself lets you connect to the chess server on the -default telnet port (23), which is what you get if you don't specify a port -to the telnet program. But the other chess servers don't allow this. - -Suppose that you can't telnet directly to ICS, but you can use rsh to run -programs on a firewall host, and that host can telnet to ICS. Let's say the -firewall is called rsh.wall.com. Set command-line options as -follows: - -.nf - xboard -ics -gateway rsh.wall.com -icshost chessclub.com -.fi - -Or in your \&.Xdefaults file: - -.nf - XBoard*gateway: rsh.wall.com - XBoard*internetChessServerHost: chessclub.com -.fi - -Then when you run -xboard -in ICS mode, it will connect to the ICS by using rsh -to run the command -.I "telnet chessclub.com 5000" -on host rsh.wall.com. - -Suppose that you can telnet anywhere you want, but you have to run a special -program called -.BR ptelnet -to do so. - -First, we'll consider the easy case, in -which -.I "ptelnet chessclub.com 5000" -gets you to the chess server. -In this case set command line options as follows: - -.nf - xboard -ics -telnet -telnetProgram ptelnet -.fi - -Or in your \&.Xdefaults file: - -.nf - XBoard*useTelnet: true - XBoard*telnetProgram: ptelnet -.fi - -Then when you run -xboard -in ICS mode, it will issue the command -.I "ptelnet chessclub.com 5000" -to connect to the ICS. - -Next, suppose that -.I "ptelnet chessclub.com 5000" -doesn't work; that is, your ptelnet program -doesn't let you connect to alternative ports. In this case, -you will have to find some other host outside the -firewall that does let you do this, and hop through it. For instance, suppose -you have an account at foo.edu. Set command line options as -follows: - -.nf - xboard -ics -telnet -telnetProgram ptelnet -icshost foo.edu -icsport "" -.fi - -Or in your \&.Xdefaults file: - -.nf - XBoard*useTelnet: true - XBoard*telnetProgram: ptelnet - XBoard*internetChessServerHost: foo.edu - XBoard*internetChessServerPort: -.fi - -Then when you run -xboard -in ICS mode, it will issue the command -.I "ptelnet foo.edu" -to connect to your account at foo.edu. Log in there, then type -.IR "telnet chessclub.com 5000" . - -ICC timestamp and FICS timeseal do not work through many -firewalls. You can use them only if your firewall gives a clean TCP -connection with a full 8-bit wide path. If your firewall allows you -to get out only by running a special telnet program, you can't use -timestamp or timeseal across it. But if you have access to a -computer just outside your firewall, and you have much lower netlag -when talking to that computer than to the ICS, it might be worthwhile -running timestamp there. Follow the instructions above for hopping -through a host outside the firewall (foo.edu in the example), -but run timestamp or timeseal on that host instead of telnet. - -Suppose that you have a SOCKS firewall that requires you to go through -some extra level of authentication, but after that will give you a -clean 8-bit wide TCP connection to the chess server. In that case, -you could make a socksified version of xboard -and run that. If you are using timestamp or timeseal, -you will need to socksify it, not -xboard; -this may be difficult seeing that ICC and FICS do not -provide source code for these programs. -Socksification is beyond the scope of this document, but -see the SOCKS Web site at http://www.socks.nec.com/how2socksify.html. - -.SH ENVIRONMENT -.PP -Game and position files -are found in the directory named by the CHESSDIR environment -variable. If this variable is not set, the current working -directory is used. -If CHESSDIR is set, -xboard -actually changes its working directory to $CHESSDIR, so -any files written by the chess engine will be placed there too. -.SH SEE ALSO -.PP -.BR gnuchess (6), -.BR cmail (6). -.SH LIMITATIONS -.PP -There is no way for two people running copies of -xboard -to play each other without going through the Internet Chess Server. -.PP -Under some circumstances, your ICS password may be echoed when you log on. -.PP -If you are connecting to the ICS by running telnet, timestamp, or -timeseal on an Internet provider -or firewall host, you may find that each line you type is echoed back an extra -time after you hit Return. If your Internet provider is a Unix system, you -can probably turn its echo off by typing -.I "stty -echo" -after you log in, and/or -typing ^E-Return (control-E followed by the Return key) to the telnet -program after you have logged into ICS. It is a good idea to do this if you -can, because otherwise the extra echo can occasionally confuse -xboard's -parsing routines. -.PP -The game parser recognizes only algebraic notation. -.PP -The internal move legality tester does not look at the game history, -so in some cases it misses illegal castling or en passant captures. -It permits castling with the king on the d file because this is possible in -some "wild 1" games on ICS. -However, if you attempt an illegal move when using -a chess engine or the ICS, -xboard -will accept the error message that comes -back, undo the move, and let you try another. -.PP -Fischer Random castling is not understood. You can probably play -Fischer Random chess successfully on ICS by typing castling moves into the ICS -Interaction window, but they will not be animated correctly, and saved -games will not be loaded correctly if castling occurs. -.PP -FEN positions saved by xboard -never include correct information about whether castling is legal or -how many half-moves have been made since the last irreversible move, -and sometimes may not correctly indicate when en passant capture is available. -.PP -The mate detector does not understand that non-contact mate is not really mate -in bughouse. The only problem this causes while playing is minor: a -"#" (mate indicator) character will show up after a non-contact mating move in -the move list; xboard will not assume the game is over at that point. -However, if you are editing -a game, Edit Game mode will be terminated by a non-contact mate. -.PP -Some -xboard -functions may not work with versions of GNU Chess earlier -than 4.0, patchlevel 77, -or with versions of Crafty earlier than 15.11. -A few functions work with GNU Chess but not Crafty, or vice versa. -.PP -The menus may not work if your keyboard is in Caps Lock or Num Lock mode. -This seems to be a problem with the Athena menu widget, not an xboard bug. -.PP -Also see the ToDo file included with the distribution for many other -possible bugs, limitations, and ideas for improvement that have been suggested. -.SH REPORTING PROBLEMS -.PP -Report bugs and problems with xboard -to . -Please use the -.BR script (1) -program to start a typescript, run xboard -with the -debug option, and include the typescript output in your message. -Also tell us what kind of machine and what operating system version -you are using. The command "uname -a" will often tell you this. -Here is a sample of approximately what you should type: - -.nf - script - uname -a - ./configure - make - ./xboard -debug - exit - mail bug-xboard@gnu.org - Subject: Your short description of the problem - Your detailed description of the problem - ~r typescript - . -.fi - -If you improve -xboard, -please send a message about your changes, -and we will get in touch with you about merging them in -to the main line of development. -.SH AUTHORS AND CONTRIBUTORS -.PP -Tim Mann has been responsible for -xboard -versions 1.3 and beyond, and for -.BR WinBoard , -a port of -xboard -to Microsoft Win32 (Windows NT and Windows 95). -.PP -Mark Williams -contributed the initial (WinBoard-only) implementation -of many new features added to both XBoard and WinBoard in version 4.1.0, -including copy/paste, premove, icsAlarm, autoFlipView, training mode, -auto raise, and blindfold. -Ben Nye contributed X copy/paste code for XBoard. -.PP -Hugh Fisher added animated piece movement to -xboard, -and Henrik Gram added it to WinBoard. -Frank McIngvale added click/click moving, the Analysis modes, piece flashing, -ZIICS import, and ICS text colorization to xboard. -Jochen Wiedmann ported xboard -to the Amiga, creating -.BR AmyBoard , -and converted the documentation to texinfo. -Elmar Bartel contributed the new piece bitmaps for version 3.2. -Evan Welsh wrote -.BR cmail. -John Chanak contributed the initial implementation of ICS mode. -The color scheme and the old 80x80 piece bitmaps were taken from -Wayne Christopher's -.BR XChess -program. -.PP -Chris Sears and Dan Sears wrote the original -xboard; -they were responsible for versions 1.0 through 1.2. -.SH COPYRIGHT -.PP -Copyright 1991 by Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, Massachusetts. -Enhancements Copyright 1992-95 Free Software Foundation, Inc. -.PP -XBoard's alternative piece bitmaps (bitmaps.xchess) are derived from the -bitmaps in the XChess program, which was written and is copyrighted by Wayne -Christopher. -.PP -The following terms apply to Digital Equipment Corporation's copyright -interest in XBoard: -.PP -.RS -All Rights Reserved -.PP -Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its -documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, -provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that -both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in -supporting documentation, and that the name of Digital not be -used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the -software without specific, written prior permission. -.PP -DIGITAL DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING -ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS, IN NO EVENT SHALL -DIGITAL BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR -ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, -WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, -ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS -SOFTWARE. -.RE -.PP -The following terms apply to this enhanced version of XBoard distributed -by the Free Software Foundation: -.PP -.RS -This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify -it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by -the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or -(at your option) any later version. -.PP -This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, -but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of -MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the -GNU General Public License for more details. -.PP -You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License -along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software -Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA. -.RE -.PP -.BR ZIICS -is a separate copyrighted work of Andy McFarland (Zek on ICC). Use -of -.BR ZIICS -falls under the ZIICS license, not the GPL. diff --git a/xboard.texi b/xboard.texi index fdae506..bde5cc1 100644 --- a/xboard.texi +++ b/xboard.texi @@ -1,238 +1,949 @@ @ifinfo - -This file documents version @value{VERSION} of @value{NAME}. -@value{NAME} -is a graphical chessboard that can serve as a -user interface to the GNU Chess and Crafty chess engines, the -Internet Chess Servers, -electronic mail correspondence chess, or your own collection of saved games. - -Copyright (C) 1991 Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, Massachusetts. - -All Rights Reserved. - -Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its -documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, -provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that -both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in -supporting documentation, and that the name of Digital not be -used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the -software without specific, written prior permission. - -Digital disclaims all warranties with regard to this software, including -all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall -Digital be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or -any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, -whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tortious action, -arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of this -software. - -Enhancements copyright (C) 1992-2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc. - -Published by the Free Software Foundation -59 Temple Place - Suite 330 -Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA - -Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of -this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice -are preserved on all copies. - -@ignore -Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the -results, provided the printed document carries copying permission -notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph -(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual). - -@end ignore -Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this -manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the -section entitled ``GNU General Public License,'' -is included exactly as in the original, and provided that the entire -resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission -notice identical to this one. - -Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual -into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions, -except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License,'' -and this permission notice, may be included in translations approved by -the Free Software Foundation instead of in the original English. +@format +INFO-DIR-SECTION Games +START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY +* xboard: (xboard). An X Window System graphical chessboard. +END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY +@end format @end ifinfo @titlepage -@title @value{NAME} -@author Tim Mann +@title XBoard @page @vskip 0pt plus 1filll -Copyright @copyright{} 1991 Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, Massachusetts. - -All Rights Reserved - -Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its -documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, -provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that -both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in -supporting documentation, and that the name of Digital not be -used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the -software without specific, written prior permission. - -Digital disclaims all warranties with regard to this software, including -all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall -Digital be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or -any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, -whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tortious action, -arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of this -software. - -Enhancements copyright @copyright{} 1992-2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc. - -@format -Published by the Free Software Foundation -59 Temple Place - Suite 330 -Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA -@end format - -Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of -this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice -are preserved on all copies. - -@ignore -Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the -results, provided the printed document carries copying permission -notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph -(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual). - -@end ignore -Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this -manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the -section entitled ``GNU General Public License,'' is -included exactly as in the original, and provided that the entire -resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission -notice identical to this one. - -Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual -into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions, -except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License,'' -and this permission notice, may be included in -translations approved by the Free Software Foundation instead of in the -original English. +@include copyright.texi @end titlepage +@ifset man +.TH xboard 6 "$Date: " "GNU" +.SH NAME +.PP +xboard @- X graphical user interface for chess +.SH SYNOPSIS +.PP +.B xboard [options] +.br +.B xboard -ics -icshost hostname [options] +.br +.B xboard -ncp [options] +.br +.B |pxboard +.br +.B cmail [options] +@end ifset @node Top @top Introduction @cindex introduction -This manual documents version @value{VERSION} of @value{NAME}. -@value{NAME} -is a graphical chessboard that can serve as a -user interface to the GNU Chess and Crafty chess engines, the +@ifset man +.SH DESCRIPTION +@end ifset + +XBoard is a graphical chessboard that can serve as a +user interface to chess engines (such as GNU Chess), the Internet Chess Servers, electronic mail correspondence chess, or your own collection of saved games. +This manual documents version @value{VERSION} of XBoard. + @menu -* Installation:: How to configure, compile and install @value{NAME}. -* Invocation:: Command options supported by @value{NAME}. -* Menus:: Menus, Buttons and Keys. -* ICS:: Using @value{NAME} with an Internet Chess Server (ICS). -* Firewalls:: Connecting to the ICS through a firewall. +* Major modes:: The main things XBoard can do. +* Menus:: Menus, buttons, and keys. +* Options:: Command options supported by XBoard. +* Chess Servers:: Using XBoard with an Internet Chess Server (ICS). +* Firewalls:: Connecting to a chess server through a firewall. * Environment:: Environment variables. * Limitations:: Known limitations and/or bugs. * Problems:: How and where to report any problems you run into. -* Contributors:: People who have helped developing @value{NAME}. -* CMail:: Using @value{NAME} for electronic correspondence chess. -* Programs:: Other programs you can use with @value{NAME}. +* Contributors:: People who have helped developing XBoard. +* CMail:: Using XBoard for electronic correspondence chess. +* Other programs:: Other programs you can use with XBoard. +@ifnottex +* Copyright:: Copyright notice for this manual. +@end ifnottex * Copying:: The GNU General Public License. * Index:: Index of concepts and symbol names. @end menu -@ifset html -@node What is it? -@chapter What is it? -@cindex What is it? -@value{NAME} -is a graphical chessboard that can serve as a -user interface to the GNU Chess and Crafty chess engines, the -Internet Chess Servers, -electronic mail correspondence chess, or your own collection of saved games. -These Web pages document version @value{VERSION} of @value{NAME}. -@end ifset +@node Major modes +@chapter Major modes +@cindex Major modes -@node Installation -@chapter How to configure, compile and install @value{NAME} -@cindex Installation +XBoard always runs in one of four major modes. You select the +major mode from the command line when you start up XBoard. + +@table @asis +@item xboard [options] +As an interface to GNU Chess or another chess engine running on your +machine, XBoard lets you play a game against the machine, +set up arbitrary positions, force variations, watch a game between two +chess engines, interactively analyze your stored games or set up and +analyze arbitrary positions. (Note: Not all chess engines support +analysis.) +@item xboard -ics -icshost hostname [options] +As Internet Chess Server (ICS) interface, XBoard +lets you play against other ICS users, observe games +they are playing, or review games that have recently finished. Most +of the ICS "wild" chess variants are supported, including bughouse. +@item xboard -ncp [options] +XBoard can also be used simply +as an electronic chessboard to play through games. It will read and +write game files and allow you to play through variations +manually. You can use it to browse games off the net or review games +you have saved. These features are also available in the other modes. +@item |pxboard +If you want to pipe games into XBoard, use the supplied shell +script @file{pxboard}. For example, from the news reader @file{xrn}, +find a message with one or more games in it, click the Save button, +and type @samp{|pxboard} as the file name. +@item cmail [options] +As an interface to electronic mail correspondence chess, XBoard +works with the cmail program. See @ref{CMail} below for +instructions. +@end table + +@node Menus +@chapter Menus, buttons, and keys +@cindex Menus + +To move a piece, you can drag it with the left mouse button, or you +can click the left mouse button once on the piece, then once more on +the destination square. To drop a new piece on a square (when +applicable), press the middle or the right mouse button over the +square and select from the popup menu. In cases where you can drop +either a white or black piece, use the middle button (or shift+right) +for white and the right button (or shift+middle) for black. When you +are playing a bughouse game on an Internet Chess Server, a list of the +offboard pieces that each player has available is shown in the window +title after the player's name; in addition, the piece menus show the +number of pieces available of each type. + +All other XBoard commands are available from the menu bar. The most +frequently used commands also have shortcut keys or on-screen buttons. + +When XBoard is iconized, its graphical icon is a white knight if +it is White's turn to move, a black knight if it is Black's turn. See +Iconize in @ref{Keys} below if you have problems getting this +feature to work. + +@menu +* File Menu:: Accessing external games and positions. +* Mode Menu:: Selecting XBoard's mode. +* Action Menu:: Talking to the chess engine or ICS opponents. +* Step Menu:: Controlling the game. +* Options Menu:: User preferences. +* Help Menu:: Getting help. +* Keys:: Other shortcut keys. +@end menu + +@node File Menu +@section File Menu +@cindex File Menu +@cindex Menu, File +@table @asis +@item Reset +@cindex Reset, Menu Item +Resets XBoard and the chess engine to the beginning of a new chess +game. The @kbd{r} key is a keyboard equivalent. In Internet Chess +Server mode, clears the current state of XBoard, then +resynchronizes with the ICS by sending a refresh command. If you want to +stop playing, observing, or examining an ICS game, use an +appropriate command from the Action menu, not @samp{Reset}. +@xref{Action Menu}. +@item Load Game +@cindex Load Game, Menu Item +Plays a game from a record file. The @kbd{g} key is a keyboard equivalent. +A popup dialog prompts you for the file name. If the file contains more +than one game, a second popup dialog +displays a list of games (with information drawn from their PGN tags, if +any), and you can select the one you want. Alternatively, you can load the +Nth game in the file directly, by typing the number @kbd{N} after the +file name, separated by a space. + +The game file parser will accept PGN (portable game notation), +or in fact almost any file that contains moves in algebraic +notation. +Notation of the form @samp{P@@f7} +is accepted for piece-drops in bughouse games; +this is a nonstandard extension to PGN. +If the file includes a PGN position (FEN tag), or an old-style +XBoard position diagram bracketed by @samp{[--} and @samp{--]} +before the first move, the game starts from that position. Text +enclosed in parentheses, square brackets, or curly braces is assumed to +be commentary and is displayed in a pop-up window. Any other +text in the file is ignored. PGN variations (enclosed in +parentheses) are treated as comments; XBoard is not able to walk +variation trees. +The nonstandard PGN tag [Variant "varname"] functions similarly to +the -variant command-line option (see below), allowing games in certain chess +variants to be loaded. There is also a heuristic to +recognize chess variants from the Event tag, by looking for the strings +that the Internet Chess Servers put there when saving variant ("wild") games. +@item Load Next Game +@cindex Load Next Game, Menu Item +Loads the next game from the last game record file you loaded. +The shifted @kbd{N} key is a keyboard equivalent. +@item Load Previous Game +@cindex Load Previous Game, Menu Item +Loads the previous game from the last game record file you +loaded. The shifted @kbd{P} key is a keyboard equivalent. +Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe. +@item Reload Same Game +@cindex Reload Same Game, Menu Item +Reloads the last game you loaded. +Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe. +@item Save Game +@cindex Save Game, Menu Item +Appends a record of the current game to a file. +A popup dialog +prompts you for the file name. If the game did not begin with +the standard starting position, the game file includes the +starting position used. Games are saved in the PGN (portable +game notation) format, unless the oldSaveStyle option is true, +in which case they are saved in an older format that is specific +to XBoard. Both formats are human-readable, and both can be +read back by the @samp{Load Game} command. +Notation of the form @samp{P@@f7} +is accepted for piece-drops in bughouse games; +this is a nonstandard extension to PGN. +@item Copy Game +@cindex Copy Game, Menu Item +Copies a record of the current game to an internal clipboard in PGN +format and sets the X selection to the game text. The game can be +pasted to another application (such as a text editor or another copy +of XBoard) using that application's paste command. In many X +applications, such as xterm and emacs, the middle mouse button can be +used for pasting; in XBoard, you must use the Paste Game command. +@item Paste Game +@cindex Paste Game, Menu Item +Interprets the current X selection as a game record and loads it, as +with Load Game. +@item Load Position +@cindex Load Position, Menu Item +Sets up a position from a position file. A popup dialog prompts +you for the file name. If the file contains more than one saved +position, and you want to load the Nth one, type the number N +after the file name, separated by a space. Position files must +be in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation), or in the format that the +Save Position command writes when oldSaveStyle is turned on. +@item Load Next Position +@cindex Load Next Position, Menu Item +Loads the next position from the last position file you loaded. +@item Load Previous Position +@cindex Load Previous Position, Menu Item +Loads the previous position from the last position file you +loaded. Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe. +@item Reload Same Position +@cindex Reload Same Position, Menu Item +Reloads the last position you loaded. +Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe. +@item Save Position +@cindex Save Game, Menu Item +Appends a diagram of the current position to a file. +A popup dialog +prompts you for the file name. Positions are saved in +FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation) format unless the @code{oldSaveStyle} +option is true, in which case they are saved in an older, +human-readable format that is specific to XBoard. Both formats +can be read back by the @samp{Load Position} command. +@item Copy Position +@cindex Copy Position, Menu Item +Copies the current position to an internal clipboard in FEN format and +sets the X selection to the position text. The position can be pasted +to another application (such as a text editor or another copy of +XBoard) using that application's paste command. In many X +applications, such as xterm and emacs, the middle mouse button can be +used for pasting; in XBoard, you must use the Paste Position command. +@item Paste Position +@cindex Paste Position, Menu Item +Interprets the current X selection as a FEN position and loads it, as +with Load Position. +@item Mail Move +@itemx Reload CMail Message +@cindex Mail Move, Menu Item +@cindex Reload CMail Message, Menu Item +See @ref{CMail}. +@item Exit +@cindex Exit, Menu Item +Exits from XBoard. The shifted @kbd{Q} key is a keyboard equivalent. +@end table + +@node Mode Menu +@section Mode Menu +@cindex Menu, Mode +@cindex Mode Menu +@table @asis +@item Machine White +@cindex Machine White, Menu Item +Tells the chess engine to play White. +@item Machine Black +@cindex Machine Black, Menu Item +Tells the chess engine to play Black. +@item Two Machines +@cindex Two Machines, Menu Item +Plays a game between two chess engines. +@item Analysis Mode +@cindex Analysis Mode, Menu Item +XBoard tells the chess engine to start analyzing the current game/position +and shows you the analysis as you move pieces around. +Note: Some chess engines do not support Analysis mode. + +To set up a position to analyze, you do the following: + +1. Select Edit Position from the Mode Menu + +2. Set up the position. Use the middle and right buttons to +bring up the white and black piece menus. + +3. When you are finished, click on either the Black or White +clock to tell XBoard which side moves first. + +4. Select Analysis Mode from the Mode Menu to start the analysis. +@item Analyze File +@cindex Analyze File, Menu Item +This option lets you load a game from a file (PGN, XBoard format, etc.) +and analyze it. When you select this menu item, a popup window appears +and asks for a filename to load. +If the file contains multiple games, another popup appears that lets +you select which game you wish to analyze. +After a game is loaded, use the XBoard arrow buttons to step +forwards/backwards through the game and watch the analysis. +Note: Some chess engines do not support Analysis mode. +@item ICS Client +@cindex ICS Client, Menu Item +This is the normal mode when XBoard +is connected to a chess server. If you have moved into +Edit Game or Edit Position mode, you can select this option to get out. + +To use xboard in ICS mode, run it in the foreground with the -ics +option, and use the terminal you started it from to type commands and +receive text responses from the chess server. See +@ref{Chess Servers} below for more information. + +XBoard activates some special position/game editing features when you +use the @kbd{examine} or @kbd{bsetup} commands on ICS and you have +@samp{ICS Client} selected on the Mode menu. First, you can issue the +ICS position-editing commands with the mouse. Move pieces by dragging +with mouse button 1. To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse +button 2 or 3 over the square. This brings up a menu of white pieces +(button 2) or black pieces (button 3). Additional menu choices let +you empty the square or clear the board. Click on the White or Black +clock to set the side to play. You cannot set the side to play or +drag pieces to arbitrary squares while examining on ICC, but you can +do so in @kbd{bsetup} mode on FICS. In addition, the menu commands +@samp{Forward}, @samp{Backward}, @samp{Pause}, and @samp{Stop Examining} +have special functions in this mode; see below. +@item Edit Game +@cindex Edit Game, Menu Item +Allows you to make moves for both Black and White, and to change +moves after backing up with the @samp{Backward} command. The clocks do +not run. -@value{NAME} is normally distributed as source, in a file with a name like -@file{xboard-*.tar.gz}. You need to unpack this file and compile the results -with a C compiler. +In chess engine mode, the chess engine continues to check moves for legality +but does not participate in the game. You can bring the chess engine +into the game by selecting @samp{Machine White}, @samp{Machine Black}, +or @samp{Two Machines}. -First, decide where you want to install the xboard executable program and -documentation. The default is to put them under the @file{/usr/local} -directory tree. If you want to put them somewhere else, such as under your -home directory, change the value in the @samp{--prefix} option below. +In ICS mode, the moves are not sent to the ICS: @samp{Edit Game} takes +XBoard out of ICS Client mode and lets you edit games locally. +If you want to edit games on ICS in a way that other ICS users +can see, use the ICS @kbd{examine} command or start an ICS match +against yourself. +@item Edit Position +@cindex Edit Position, Menu Item +Lets you set up an arbitrary board position. +Use mouse button 1 to drag pieces to new squares, or to delete a piece +by dragging it off the board or dragging an empty square on top of it. +To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse button 2 or 3 over the +square. This brings up a menu of white pieces (button 2) or +black pieces (button 3). Additional menu choices let you empty the +square or clear the board. You can set the side to play next by +clicking on the word White or Black at the top of the screen. +Selecting @samp{Edit Position} causes XBoard to discard +all remembered moves in the current game. -Use the following commands: +In ICS mode, changes made to the position by @samp{Edit Position} are +not sent to the ICS: @samp{Edit Position} takes XBoard out of +@samp{ICS Client} mode and lets you edit positions locally. If you want to +edit positions on ICS in a way that other ICS users can see, use +the ICS @kbd{examine} command, or start an ICS match against yourself. +(See also the ICS Client topic above.) +@item Training +@cindex Training, Menu Item +Training mode lets you interactively guess the moves of a game for one +of the players. You guess the next move of the game by playing the +move on the board. If the move played matches the next move of the +game, the move is accepted and the opponent's response is autoplayed. +If the move played is incorrect, an error message is displayed. You +can select this mode only while loading a game (that is, after +selecting @samp{Load Game} from the File menu). While XBoard is in +@samp{Training} mode, the navigation buttons are disabled. +@item Show Game List +@cindex Show Game List, Menu Item +Shows or hides the list of games generated by the last @samp{Load Game} +command. +@item Edit Tags +@cindex Edit Tags, Menu Item +Lets you edit the PGN (portable game notation) +tags for the current game. After editing, the tags must still conform to +the PGN tag syntax: @example -gzip -cd xboard-*.tar.gz | tar -xvf - -cd xboard-*/ -configure --prefix=/usr/local -make -make install + ::= + + ::= [ ] + ::= + ::= @end example +@noindent +See the PGN Standard for full details. Here is an example: -If you have any problems with these steps, -see the file @file{INSTALL} in the @value{NAME} distribution for -detailed instructions on options you can give to @code{configure}, -and see the file @file{FAQ} for answers to frequently asked questions. +@example +[Event "Portoroz Interzonal"] +[Site "Portoroz, Yugoslavia"] +[Date "1958.08.16"] +[Round "8"] +[White "Robert J. Fischer"] +[Black "Bent Larsen"] +[Result "1-0"] +@end example +@noindent +Any characters that do not match this syntax are silently ignored. Note that +the PGN standard requires all games to have at least the seven tags shown +above. Any that you omit will be filled in by XBoard +with @samp{?} (unknown value), or @samp{-} (inapplicable value). +@item Edit Comment +@cindex Edit Comment, Menu Item +Adds or modifies a comment on the current position. Comments are +saved by @samp{Save Game} and are displayed by @samp{Load Game}, +@samp{Forward}, and @samp{Backward}. +@item ICS Input Box +@cindex ICS Input Box, Menu Item +If this option is set in ICS mode, +XBoard +creates an extra window that you can use for typing in ICS commands. +The input box is especially useful if you want to type in something long or do +some editing on your input, because output from ICS doesn't get mixed +in with your typing as it would in the main terminal window. +@item Pause +@cindex Pause, Menu Item +Pauses updates to the board, and if you are playing against a chess engine, +also pauses your clock. To continue, select @samp{Pause} again, and the +display will automatically update to the latest position. +The @samp{P} button and keyboard @kbd{p} key are equivalents. -If everything works, you can delete the whole @file{xboard-*} directory after -@samp{make install} is done. +If you select Pause when you are playing against a chess engine and +it is not your move, the chess engine's clock +will continue to run and it will eventually make a move, at which point +both clocks will stop. Since board updates are paused, however, +you will not see the move until you exit from Pause mode (or select Forward). +This behavior is meant to simulate adjournment with a sealed move. -@node Invocation -@chapter Command options supported by @value{NAME} -@cindex Invocation -@cindex Options +If you select Pause while you are observing or examining a game on a +chess server, you can step backward and forward in the current history +of the examined game without affecting the other observers and +examiners, and without having your display jump forward to the latest +position each time a move is made. Select Pause again to reconnect +yourself to the current state of the game on ICS. -@value{NAME} always runs in one of four major modes: +If you select @samp{Pause} while you are loading a game, the game stops +loading. You can load more moves manually by selecting @samp{Forward}, or +resume automatic loading by selecting @samp{Pause} again. +@end table +@node Action Menu +@section Action Menu +@cindex Menu, Action +@cindex Action, Menu @table @asis -@item @value{LCNAME} [options] -runs @value{NAME} as an interface to a chess engine running -on your machine, such as GNU Chess or Crafty. In this mode, -@value{NAME} lets you play a game against the chess engine, set up -arbitrary positions, force variations, or watch a game between two -chess engines. -@item @value{LCNAME} -ics -icshost hostname [options] -runs @value{NAME} as an interface to the Internet Chess Server -(ICS). You can play against other ICS users, observe games they are -playing, or review games that have recently finished. @xref{ICS}. -All the ``wild'' chess variants on ICS are supported, including bughouse. -@item @value{LCNAME} -ncp [options] -lets you use @value{NAME} as a simple chessboard to play through -games. It will read and write game files and allow you to play -through variations manually. You can use it to browse games off the -net or review games you have saved. -These features are also available in the other modes. -If you want to pipe games into @value{NAME}, use the supplied -shell script @file{pxboard}. For example, from the news reader @file{xrn}, -find a message with one or more games in it, -click the Save button, and type @samp{|pxboard} as the file name. -@item cmail -uses @value{NAME} as an interface to electronic mail -correspondence chess. -@xref{CMail}. +@item Accept +@cindex Accept, Menu Item +Accepts a pending match offer. If there is more than one offer +pending, you will have to type in a more specific command +instead of using this menu choice. +@item Decline +@cindex Decline, Menu Item +Declines a pending offer (match, draw, adjourn, etc.). If there +is more than one offer pending, you will have to type in a more +specific command instead of using this menu choice. +@item Call Flag +@cindex Call Flag, Menu Item +Calls your opponent's flag, claiming a win on time, or claiming +a draw if you are both out of time. You can also call your +opponent's flag by clicking on his clock or by pressing the +keyboard @kbd{t} key. +@item Draw +@cindex Draw, Menu Item +Offers a draw to your opponent, accepts a pending draw offer +from your opponent, or claims a draw by repetition or the 50-move +rule, as appropriate. The @kbd{d} key is a keyboard equivalent. +@item Adjourn +@cindex Adjourn, Menu Item +Asks your opponent to agree to adjourning the current game, or +agrees to a pending adjournment offer from your opponent. +@item Abort +@cindex Abort, Menu Item +Asks your opponent to agree to aborting the current game, or +agrees to a pending abort offer from your opponent. An aborted +game ends immediately without affecting either player's rating. +@item Resign +@cindex Resign, Menu Item +Resigns the game to your opponent. The shifted @kbd{R} key is a +keyboard equivalent. +@item Stop Observing +@cindex Stop Observing, Menu Item +Ends your participation in observing a game, by issuing the ICS +observe command with no arguments. ICS mode only. +@item Stop Examining +@cindex Stop Examining, Menu Item +Ends your participation in examining a game, by issuing the ICS +unexamine command. ICS mode only. @end table -Most of the @value{NAME} options have both a long name and a short -name. To turn a boolean option on or off from the command line, -either give its long name followed by the value @code{true} or -@code{false} (@samp{-longOptionName true}), or give just the short -name to turn the option on (@samp{-opt}), or the short name -preceded by @samp{x} to turn the option off (@samp{-xopt}). For -options that take strings or numbers as values, you can use the -long or short option names interchangeably. +@node Step Menu +@section Step Menu +@cindex Step Menu +@cindex Menu, Step +@table @asis +@item Backward +@cindex Backward, Menu Item +@cindex <, Button +Steps backward through a series of remembered moves. +The @samp{[<]} button and the @kbd{b} key are equivalents. +In addition, pressing the Control key steps back one move, and releasing +it steps forward again. + +In most modes, @samp{Backward} only lets you look back at old positions; +it does not retract moves. This is the case if you are playing against +a chess engine, playing or observing a game on an ICS, or loading a game. +If you select @samp{Backward} in any of these situations, you will not +be allowed to make a different move. Use @samp{Retract Move} or +@samp{Edit Game} if you want to change past moves. + +If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of @samp{Backward} +depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is +off, @samp{Backward} issues the ICS backward command, which backs up +everyone's view of the game and allows you to make a different +move. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Backward} only backs up your local +view. +@item Forward +@cindex Forward, Menu Item +@cindex >, Button +Steps forward through a series of remembered moves (undoing the +effect of @samp{Backward}) or forward through a game file. The +@samp{[>]} button and the @kbd{f} key are equivalents. + +If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of Forward +depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is +off, @samp{Forward} issues the ICS forward command, which moves +everyone's view of the game forward along the current line. If +Pause mode is on, @samp{Forward} only moves your local view forward, +and it will not go past the position that the game was in when +you paused. +@item Back to Start +@cindex Back to Start, Menu Item +@cindex <<, Button +Jumps backward to the first remembered position in the game. +The @samp{[<<]} button and the shifted @kbd{B} key are equivalents. + +In most modes, Back to Start only lets you look back at old +positions; it does not retract moves. This is the case if you +are playing against a local chess engine, playing or observing a game on +a chess server, or loading a game. If you select @samp{Back to Start} in any +of these situations, you will not be allowed to make different +moves. Use @samp{Retract Move} or @samp{Edit Game} if you want to change past +moves; or use Reset to start a new game. + +If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of @samp{Back to +Start} depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode +is off, @samp{Back to Start} issues the ICS @samp{backward 999999} +command, which backs up everyone's view of the game to the start and +allows you to make different moves. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Back +to Start} only backs up your local view. +@item Forward to End +@cindex Forward to End, Menu Item +@cindex >>, Button +Jumps forward to the last remembered position in the game. The +@samp{[>>]} button and the shifted @kbd{F} key are equivalents. + +If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of @samp{Forward to +End} depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode +is off, @samp{Forward to End} issues the ICS @samp{forward 999999} +command, which moves everyone's view of the game forward to the end of +the current line. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Forward to End} only moves +your local view forward, and it will not go past the position +that the game was in when you paused. +@item Revert +@cindex Revert, Menu Item +If you are examining an ICS game and Pause mode is off, issues +the ICS command @samp{revert}. +@item Truncate Game +@cindex Truncate Game, Menu Item +Discards all remembered moves of the game beyond the current +position. Puts XBoard into @samp{Edit Game} mode if it was not there +already. +@item Move Now +@cindex Move Now, Menu Item +Forces the chess engine to move immediately. Chess engine mode only. +@item Retract Move +@cindex Retract Move, Menu Item +Retracts your last move. In chess engine mode, you can do this only +after the chess engine has replied to your move; if the chess engine is still +thinking, use @samp{Move Now} first. In ICS mode, @samp{Retract Move} +issues the command @samp{takeback 1} or @samp{takeback 2} +depending on whether it is your opponent's move or yours. +@end table + +@node Options Menu +@section Options Menu +@cindex Menu, Options +@cindex Options Menu +@table @asis +@item Always Queen +@cindex Always Queen, Menu Item +If this option is off, XBoard brings up a dialog +box whenever you move a pawn to the last rank, asking what piece +you want to promote it to. If the option is true, your pawns are +always promoted to queens. Your opponent can still underpromote. +@item Animate Dragging +@cindex Animate Dragging, Menu Item +If Animate Dragging is on, while you are dragging a piece with the +mouse, an image of the piece follows the mouse cursor. +If Animate Dragging is off, there is no visual feedback while you are +dragging a piece, but if Animate Moving is on, the move will be +animated when it is complete. +@item Animate Moving +@cindex Animate Moving, Menu Item +If Animate Moving is on, all piece moves are animated. An image of the +piece is shown moving from the old square to the new square when the +move is completed (unless the move was already animated by Animate Dragging). +If Animate Moving is off, a moved piece instantly disappears from its +old square and reappears on its new square when the move is complete. +@item Auto Comment +@cindex Auto Comment, Menu Item +If this option is on, any remarks made on ICS while you are observing or +playing a game are recorded as a comment on the current move. This includes +remarks made with the ICS commands @kbd{say}, @kbd{tell}, @kbd{whisper}, +and @kbd{kibitz}. +Limitation: remarks that you type yourself are not recognized; +XBoard scans only the output from ICS, not the input you type to it. +@item Auto Flag +@cindex Auto Flag, Menu Item +If this option is on and one player runs out of time +before the other, +XBoard +will automatically call his flag, claiming a win on time. +In ICS mode, Auto Flag will only call your opponent's flag, not yours, +and the ICS may award you a draw instead of a win if you have +insufficient mating material. In local chess engine mode, +XBoard +may call either player's flag and will not take material into account. +@item Auto Flip View +@cindex Auto Flip View, Menu Item +If the Auto Flip View option is on when you start a game, the board +will be automatically oriented so that your pawns move from the bottom +of the window towards the top. +@item Auto Observe +@cindex Auto Observe, Menu Item +If this option is on and you add a player to your @code{gnotify} +list on ICS, XBoard will automatically observe all of that +player's games, unless you are doing something else (such as +observing or playing a game of your own) when one starts. +The games are displayed +from the point of view of the player on your gnotify list; that is, his +pawns move from the bottom of the window towards the top. +Exceptions: If both players in a game are on your gnotify list, if +your ICS +@code{highlight} +variable is set to 0, or if the ICS you are using does not +properly support observing from Black's point of view, +you will see the game from White's point of view. +@item Auto Raise Board +@cindex Auto Raise Board, Menu Item +If this option is on, whenever a new game begins, the chessboard window +is deiconized (if necessary) and raised to the top of the stack of windows. +@item Auto Save +@cindex Auto Save, Menu Item +If this option is true, at the end of every game XBoard prompts +you for a file name and appends a record of the game to the file +you specify. +Disabled if the @code{saveGameFile} command-line +option is set, as in that case all games are saved to the specified file. +@xref{Load and Save options}. +@item Blindfold +@cindex Blindfold, Menu Item +If this option is on, XBoard displays the board as usual but does +not display pieces or move highlights. You can still move in the +usual way (with the mouse or by typing moves in ICS mode), even though +the pieces are invisible. +@item Flash Moves +@cindex Flash Moves, Menu Item +If this option is on, whenever a move is completed, the moved piece flashes. +The number of times to flash is set by the flashCount command-line +option; it defaults to 3 if Flash Moves is first turned on from the menu. +@item Flip View +@cindex Flip View, Menu Item +Inverts your view of the chess board for the duration of the +current game. Starting a new game returns the board to normal. +The @kbd{v} key is a keyboard equivalent. + +If you are playing a game on an ICS, the board is always +oriented at the start of the game so that your pawns move from +the bottom of the window towards the top. Otherwise, the starting +orientation is determined by the @code{flipView} command line option; +if it is false (the default), White's pawns move from bottom to top +at the start of each game; if it is true, Black's pawns move from +bottom to top. @xref{User interface options}. +@item Get Move List +@cindex Get Move List, Menu Item +If this option is on, whenever XBoard +receives the first board of a new ICS game (or a different game from +the one it is currently displaying), it +retrieves the list of past moves from the ICS. +You can then review the moves with the @samp{Forward} and @samp{Backward} +commands +or save them with @samp{Save Game}. You might want to +turn off this option if you are observing several blitz games at once, +to keep from wasting time and network bandwidth fetching the move lists over +and over. +When you turn this option on from the menu, XBoard +immediately fetches the move list of the current game (if any). +@item Highlight Last Move +@cindex Highlight Last Move, Menu Item +If Highlight Last Move is on, after a move is made, the starting and +ending squares remain highlighted. In addition, after you use Backward +or Back to Start, the starting and ending squares of the last move to +be unmade are highlighted. +@item Move Sound +@cindex Move Sound, Menu Item +If this option is on, XBoard alerts you by playing a sound +after each of your opponent's moves (or after every +move if you are observing a game on the Internet Chess Server). +The sound is not played after moves you make or moves read from a +saved game file. By default, the +sound is the terminal bell, but on some systems you can change it +to a sound file using the soundMove option; see below. + +If you turn on this option when using XBoard with the Internet +Chess Server, you will probably want to give the +@kbd{set bell 0} +command to the ICS, since otherwise the ICS will ring the terminal bell +after every move (not just yours). (The @file{.icsrc} file +is a good place for this; see @ref{ICS options}.) +@item ICS Alarm +@cindex ICS Alarm, Menu Item +When this option is on, an alarm sound is played when your clock +counts down to the icsAlarmTime (by default, 5 seconds) in an ICS +game. For games with time controls that include an increment, the +alarm will sound each time the clock counts down to the icsAlarmTime. +By default, the alarm sound is the terminal bell, but on some systems +you can change it to a sound file using the soundIcsAlarm option; see +below. +@item Old Save Style +@cindex Old Save Style, Menu Item +If this option is off, XBoard saves games in PGN +(portable game notation) and positions in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards +notation). If the option is on, a save style that is compatible +with older versions of XBoard is used instead. +The old position style is more human-readable +than FEN; the old game style has no particular advantages. +@item Periodic Updates +@cindex Periodic Updates, Menu Item +If this option is off (or if +you are using a chess engine that does not support periodic updates), +the analysis window +will only be updated when the analysis changes. If this option is +on, the Analysis Window will be updated every two seconds. +@item Ponder Next Move +@cindex Ponder Next Move, Menu Item +If this option is off, the chess engine will think only when it is on +move. If the option is on, the engine will also think while waiting +for you to make your move. +@item Popup Exit Message +@cindex Popup Exit Message, Menu Item +If this option is on, when XBoard wants to display a message just +before exiting, it brings up a modal dialog box and waits for you to +click OK before exiting. If the option is off, XBoard prints the +message to standard error (the terminal) and exits immediately. +@item Popup Move Errors +@cindex Popup Move Errors, Menu Item +If this option is off, when you make an error in moving (such as +attempting an illegal move or moving the wrong color piece), the +error message is displayed in the message area. If the option is +on, move errors are displayed in small popup windows like other errors. +You can dismiss an error popup either by clicking its OK button or by +clicking anywhere on the board, including downclicking to start a move. +@item Premove +@cindex Premove, Menu Item +If this option is on while playing a game on an ICS, you can register +your next planned move before it is your turn. Move the piece with +the mouse in the ordinary way, and the starting and ending squares +will be highlighted with a special color (red by default). When it is +your turn, if your registered move is legal, XBoard will send it to +ICS immediately; if not, it will be ignored and you can make a +different move. If you change your mind about your premove, either +make a different move, or double-click on any piece to cancel the move +entirely. +@item Quiet Play +@cindex Quiet Play, Menu Item +If this option is on, XBoard will automatically issue an ICS +@kbd{set shout 0} +command whenever you start a game and a +@kbd{set shout 1} +command whenever you finish one. Thus, you will not be distracted +by shouts from other ICS users while playing. +@item Show Coords +@cindex Show Coords, Menu Item +If this option is on, XBoard displays algebraic coordinates +along the board's left and bottom edges. +@item Show Thinking +@cindex Show Thinking, Menu Item +If this option is set, the chess engine's notion of the score and best +line of play from the current position is displayed as it is +thinking. The score indicates how many pawns ahead (or if negative, +behind) the chess engine thinks it is. In matches between two +machines, the score is prefixed by @samp{W} or @samp{B} to indicate +whether it is showing White's thinking or Black's, and only the thinking +of the engine that is on move is shown. +@item Test Legality +@cindex Test Legality, Menu Item +If this option is on, XBoard tests whether the moves you try to make +with the mouse are legal and refuses to let you make an illegal move. +Moves loaded from a file with @samp{Load Game} are also checked. If +the option is off, all moves are accepted, but if a local chess engine +or the ICS is active, they will still reject illegal moves. Turning +off this option is useful if you are playing a chess variant with +rules that XBoard does not understand. (Bughouse, suicide, and wild +variants where the king may castle after starting on the d file are +generally supported with Test Legality on.) +@end table + +@node Help Menu +@section Help Menu +@cindex Menu, Help +@cindex Help Menu +@table @asis +@item Info XBoard +@cindex Info XBoard, Menu Item +Displays the XBoard documentation in info format. For this feature to +work, you must have the GNU info program installed on your system, and +the file @file{xboard.info} must either be present in the current +working directory, or have been installed by the @samp{make install} +command when you built XBoard. +@item Man XBoard +@cindex Man XBoard, Menu Item +Displays the XBoard documentation in man page format. For this +feature to work, the file @file{xboard.6} must have been installed by +the @samp{make install} command when you built XBoard, and the +directory it was placed in must be on the search path for your +system's @samp{man} command. +@item Hint +@cindex Hint, Menu Item +Displays a move hint from the chess engine. +@item Book +@cindex Book, Menu Item +Displays a list of possible moves from the chess engine's opening +book. The exact format depends on what chess engine you are using. +With GNU Chess 4, the first column gives moves, the second column +gives one possible response for each move, and the third column shows +the number of lines in the book that include the move from the first +column. If you select this option and nothing happens, the chess +engine is out of its book or does not support this feature. +@item About XBoard +@cindex About XBoard, Menu Item +Shows the current XBoard version number. +@end table + +@node Keys +@section Other Shortcut Keys +@cindex Keys +@cindex Shortcut keys +@table @asis +@item Iconize +Pressing the @kbd{i} or @kbd{c} key iconizes XBoard. The graphical +icon displays a white knight if it is White's move, or a black knight +if it is Black's move. If your X window manager displays only text icons, +not graphical ones, check its documentation; there is probably a way to +enable graphical icons. If you are running the Motif window manager +@file{mwm}, add these lines to your @file{.Xdefaults} file and +restart mwm: + +@example +Mwm*iconDecoration: activelabel label image +Mwm*XBoard*iconImageBackground: White +Mwm*XBoard*iconImageForeground: Black +@end example +@noindent +The first line above enables graphical icons in mwm; you don't need it +if you already have them. The next two lines force the white knights to +come out white and the black knights black. Unfortunately these resources +can't be set from inside XBoard; you have to set them in your +@file{.Xdefaults} file. +@end table + +You can add or remove shortcut keys using the X resources +@code{form.translations}. Here is an example of what would go in your +@file{.Xdefaults} file: + +@example +XBoard*form.translations: \ + Shift?: AboutGameProc() \n\ + y: AcceptProc() \n\ + n: DeclineProc() \n\ + i: NothingProc() +@end example +@noindent +Binding a key to @code{NothingProc} makes it do nothing, thus removing +it as a shortcut key. The XBoard commands that can be bound to keys +are: + +@example +AbortProc, AboutGameProc, AboutProc, AcceptProc, AdjournProc, +AlwaysQueenProc, AnalysisModeProc, AnalyzeFileProc, +AnimateDraggingProc, AnimateMovingProc, AutobsProc, AutoflagProc, +AutoflipProc, AutoraiseProc, AutosaveProc, BackwardProc, +BlindfoldProc, BookProc, CallFlagProc, CopyGameProc, CopyPositionProc, +DebugProc, DeclineProc, DrawProc, EditCommentProc, EditGameProc, +EditPositionProc, EditTagsProc, EnterKeyProc, FlashMovesProc, +FlipViewProc, ForwardProc, GetMoveListProc, HighlightLastMoveProc, +HintProc, Iconify, IcsAlarmProc, IcsClientProc, IcsInputBoxProc, +InfoProc, LoadGameProc, LoadNextGameProc, LoadNextPositionProc, +LoadPositionProc, LoadPrevGameProc, LoadPrevPositionProc, +LoadSelectedProc, MachineBlackProc, MachineWhiteProc, MailMoveProc, +ManProc, MoveNowProc, MoveSoundProc, NothingProc, OldSaveStyleProc, +PasteGameProc, PastePositionProc, PauseProc, PeriodicUpdatesProc, +PonderNextMoveProc, PopupExitMessageProc, PopupMoveErrorsProc, +PremoveProc, QuietPlayProc, QuitProc, ReloadCmailMsgProc, +ReloadGameProc, ReloadPositionProc, RematchProc, ResetProc, +ResignProc, RetractMoveProc, RevertProc, SaveGameProc, +SavePositionProc, ShowCoordsProc, ShowGameListProc, ShowThinkingProc, +StopExaminingProc, StopObservingProc, TestLegalityProc, ToEndProc, +ToStartProc, TrainingProc, TruncateGameProc, and TwoMachinesProc. +@end example + +@node Options +@chapter Options +@cindex Options +@cindex Options + +This section documents the command-line options to XBoard. You can +set these options in two ways: by typing them on the shell command +line you use to start XBoard, or by setting them as X resources +(typically in your @file{.Xdefaults} file). Many of the options +cannot be changed while XBoard is running; others set the initial +state of items that can be changed with the @ref{Options} menu. + +Most of the options have both a long name and a short name. To turn a +boolean option on or off from the command line, either give its long +name followed by the value true or false +(@samp{-longOptionName true}), or give just the short name to turn the +option on (@samp{-opt}), or the short name preceded by @samp{x} to +turn the option off (@samp{-xopt}). For options that take strings or +numbers as values, you can use the long or short option names +interchangeably. Each option corresponds to an X resource with the same name, so if you like, you can set options in your @file{.Xdefaults} file @@ -241,22 +952,18 @@ For options that have two names, the longer one is the name of the corresponding X resource; the short name is not recognized. To turn a boolean option on or off as an X resource, give its long name followed by the value -@code{true} or @code{false}: - -@example -XBoard*longOptionName: true -@end example +true or false (@samp{XBoard*longOptionName: true}). @menu * Chess engine options:: Controlling the chess engine. * ICS options:: Connecting to and using ICS. -* I/O options:: Load and Save options. -* User interface options:: Look and Feel options. +* Load and Save options:: Input/output options. +* User interface options:: Look and feel options. * Other options:: Miscellaneous. @end menu @node Chess engine options -@section Controlling the chess engine +@section Chess Engine Options @cindex options, Chess engine @cindex Chess engine options @table @asis @@ -267,13 +974,11 @@ Each player begins with his clock set to the @code{timeControl} period. Default: 5 minutes. The additional options @code{movesPerSession} and @code{timeIncrement} are mutually exclusive. - @item -mps or -movesPerSession moves @cindex mps, option @cindex movesPerSession, option When both players have made @code{movesPerSession} moves, a new @code{timeControl} period is added to both clocks. Default: 40 moves. - @item -inc or -timeIncrement seconds @cindex inc, option @cindex timeIncrement, option @@ -283,16 +988,14 @@ added to his clock. Use @samp{-inc 0} if you want to require the entire game to be played in one @code{timeControl} period, with no increment. Default: -1, which specifies @code{movesPerSession} mode. - -@item -clock/-xclock or -clockMode True/False +@item -clock/-xclock or -clockMode true/false @cindex clock, option @cindex clockMode, option Determines whether or not to display the chess clocks. If clockMode is -@samp{false}, the clocks are not shown, but the side that is to play next +false, the clocks are not shown, but the side that is to play next is still highlighted. Also, unless @code{searchTime} is set, the chess engine still keeps track of the clock time and uses it to determine how fast to make its moves. - @item -st or -searchTime minutes[:seconds] @cindex st, option @cindex searchTime, option @@ -300,8 +1003,7 @@ Tells the chess engine to spend at most the given amount of time searching for each of its moves. Without this option, the chess engine chooses its search time based on the number of moves and amount of time remaining until the next time control. -Setting this option also sets clockMode to False. - +Setting this option also sets clockMode to false. @item -depth or -searchDepth number @cindex sd, option @cindex searchDepth, option @@ -310,59 +1012,51 @@ when searching for a move to make. Without this option, the chess engine chooses its search depth based on the number of moves and amount of time remaining until the next time control. With the option, the engine will cut off its search early if it reaches the specified depth. - -@item -thinking/-xthinking or -showThinking True/False +@item -thinking/-xthinking or -showThinking true/false @cindex thinking, option @cindex showThinking, option Sets the Show Thinking option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. - -@item -ponder/-xponder or -ponderNextMove True/False +@item -ponder/-xponder or -ponderNextMove true/false @cindex ponder, option @cindex ponderNextMove, option -Sets the Ponder Next Move menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: True. - +Sets the Ponder Next Move menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true. @item -mg or -matchGames n @cindex mg, option @cindex matchGames, option Automatically runs an n-game match between two chess engines, with alternating colors. If the @code{loadGameFile} or @code{loadPositionFile} option is set, -@value{NAME} +XBoard starts each game with the given opening moves or the given position; otherwise, the games start with the standard initial chess position. If the @code{saveGameFile} option is set, a move record for the match is appended to the specified file. If the @code{savePositionFile} option is set, the final position reached in each game of the match is appended -to the specified file. When the match is over, @value{NAME} +to the specified file. When the match is over, XBoard displays the match score and exits. Default: 0 (do not run a match). - -@item -mm/-xmm or -matchMode True/False +@item -mm/-xmm or -matchMode true/false @cindex mm, option @cindex matchMode, option -Abbreviation for -matchGames 1. - +Setting @code{matchMode} to true is equivalent to setting +@code{matchGames} to 1. @item -fcp or -firstChessProgram program @cindex fcp, option @cindex firstChessProgram, option Name of first chess engine. Default: @file{gnuchessx}. - @item -scp or -secondChessProgram program @cindex scp, option @cindex secondChessProgram, option Name of second chess engine, if needed. A second chess engine is started only in Two Machines (match) mode. Default: @file{gnuchessx}. - -@item -fb/-xfb or -firstPlaysBlack True/False +@item -fb/-xfb or -firstPlaysBlack true/false @cindex fb, option @cindex firstPlaysBlack, option -In games between two chess engines, firstChessProgram normally -plays white. (This is a change from earlier versions of @value{NAME}.) -If this option is True, firstChessProgram plays black. -In a multi-game match, this option affects the colors only for -the first game; they still alternate in subsequent games. - +In games between two chess engines, firstChessProgram normally plays +white. If this option is true, firstChessProgram plays black. In a +multi-game match, this option affects the colors only for the first +game; they still alternate in subsequent games. @item -fh or -firstHost host @itemx -sh or -secondHost host @cindex fh, option @@ -370,11 +1064,10 @@ the first game; they still alternate in subsequent games. @cindex sh, option @cindex secondHost, option Hosts on which the chess engines are to run. The default for -each is @file{localhost}. If you specify another host, @value{NAME} -uses @file{rsh} (1) to run the chess engine there. (You can substitute a +each is @file{localhost}. If you specify another host, XBoard +uses @file{rsh} to run the chess engine there. (You can substitute a different remote shell program for rsh using the @code{remoteShell} option described below.) - @item -fd or -firstDirectory dir @itemx -sd or -secondDirectory dir @cindex fd, option @@ -383,12 +1076,11 @@ option described below.) @cindex secondDirectory, option Working directories in which the chess engines are to be run. The default is "", which means to run the chess engine -in the same working directory as @value{NAME} +in the same working directory as XBoard itself. (See the CHESSDIR environment variable.) This option is effective only when the chess engine is being run on the local host; it does not work if the engine is run remotely using the -fh or -sh option. - @item -initString string @itemx -secondInitString string @cindex initString, option @@ -413,17 +1105,15 @@ If you change this option, don't remove the @samp{new} command; it is required by all chess engines to start a new game. -You can remove the @samp{random} command if you like; -including it causes GNU Chess to randomize its move selection -slightly so that it doesn't play the same moves in every game. -Even without @samp{random}, GNU Chess randomizes its choice of moves -from its opening book. Crafty -ignores this command; it randomizes by default. - -You can also try adding other -commands to the initString; see the GNU Chess or Crafty documentation for -details. +You can remove the @samp{random} command if you like; including it +causes GNU Chess 4 to randomize its move selection slightly so that it +doesn't play the same moves in every game. Even without +@samp{random}, GNU Chess 4 randomizes its choice of moves from its +opening book. Many other chess engines ignore this command entirely +and always (or never) randomize. +You can also try adding other commands to the initString; see the +documentation of the chess engine you are using for details. @item -firstComputerString string @itemx -secondComputerString string @cindex firstComputerString, option @@ -432,23 +1122,20 @@ The string that is sent to the chess engine if its opponent is another computer chess engine. The default is @samp{computer\n}. Probably the only useful alternative is the empty string (@samp{}), which keeps the engine from knowing that it is playing another computer. - -@item -reuse/-xreuse or -reuseFirst True/False -@itemx -reuse2/-xreuse2 or -reuseSecond True/False +@item -reuse/-xreuse or -reuseFirst true/false +@itemx -reuse2/-xreuse2 or -reuseSecond true/false @cindex reuse, option @cindex reuseFirst, option @cindex reuse2, option @cindex reuseSecond, option If the option is false, -@value{NAME} kills off the chess engine after every game and starts +XBoard kills off the chess engine after every game and starts it again for the next game. If the option is true (the default), -@value{NAME} starts the chess engine only once +XBoard starts the chess engine only once and uses it repeatedly to play multiple games. -Some chess engines may not work properly when -reuse is turned on, such as versions of Crafty earlier than 12.0, -but otherwise new games will start faster if it is left on. - +Some old chess engines may not work properly when +reuse is turned on, but otherwise games will start faster if it is left on. @item -firstProtocolVersion version-number @itemx -secondProtocolVersion version-number @cindex firstProtocolVersion, option @@ -461,66 +1148,52 @@ version-number are not supported. @end table @node ICS options -@section Connecting to and using ICS +@section Internet Chess Server Options @cindex ICS options @cindex Options, ICS @table @asis -@item -ics/-xics or -internetChessServerMode True/False +@item -ics/-xics or -internetChessServerMode true/false @cindex ics, option @cindex internetChessServerMode, option Connect with an Internet Chess Server to play chess against its other users, observe games they are playing, or review games that have recently finished. Default: false. -To use @value{NAME} in ICS mode, run it in the foreground, and use the -terminal you started it from to type commands and receive text -responses from the chess server. -@xref{ICS}. @xref{File Menu}. @xref{Step Menu}. -@xref{Mode Menu}. - @item -icshost or -internetChessServerHost host @cindex icshost, option @cindex internetChessServerHost, option The Internet host name or address of the chess server to connect -to when in ICS mode. Default: @code{chessclub.com}. See the file -@file{ics-addresses} in the @value{NAME} -distribution for a list of other addresses to try. +to when in ICS mode. Default: @code{chessclub.com}. +Another popular chess server to try is @code{freechess.org}. If your site doesn't have a working Internet name server, try specifying the host address in numeric form. You may also need to specify the numeric address when using the icshelper option with timestamp or timeseal (see below). -At this writing -@code{chessclub.com} is @samp{207.99.5.190} and -@code{freechess.org} is @samp{164.58.253.13}. - @item -icsport or -internetChessServerPort port-number @cindex icsport, option @cindex internetChessServerPort, option The port number to use when connecting to a chess server in ICS mode. Default: 5000. - @item -icshelper or -internetChessServerHelper prog-name @cindex icshelper, option @cindex internetChessServerHelper, option An external helper program used to communicate with the chess server. You would set it to "timestamp" for ICC (chessclub.com) or -"timeseal" for FICS (freechess.org, eics.daimi.aau.dk, etc.), after +"timeseal" for FICS (freechess.org), after obtaining the correct version of timestamp or timeseal for your computer. See "help timestamp" on ICC and "help timeseal" on FICS. This option is shorthand for @code{-useTelnet -telnetProgram program}. - -@item -telnet/-xtelnet or -useTelnet True/False +@item -telnet/-xtelnet or -useTelnet true/false @cindex telnet, option @cindex useTelnet, option This option is poorly named; it should be called useHelper. -If set to true, it instructs @value{NAME} to run an external +If set to true, it instructs XBoard to run an external program to communicate with the Internet Chess Server. The program to use is given by the telnetProgram option. If the option is -false (the default), @value{NAME} opens a TCP socket and uses its own +false (the default), XBoard opens a TCP socket and uses its own internal implementation of the telnet protocol to communicate with the ICS. @xref{Firewalls}. - @item -telnetProgram prog-name @cindex telnetProgram, option This option is poorly named; it should be called helperProgram. @@ -530,42 +1203,40 @@ the @code{gateway} and @code{useTelnet} options. The default is @code{internetChessServerHost} as its first argument and the value of @code{internetChessServerPort} as its second argument. @xref{Firewalls}. - @item -gateway host-name @cindex gateway, option -If this option is set to a host name, @value{NAME} uses @file{rsh} (1) to run -the @file{telnet} (1) program on the given host to communicate with the -Internet Chess Server instead of using its own internal implementation +If this option is set to a host name, XBoard communicates with the +Internet Chess Server by using @file{rsh} to run +the @code{telnetProgram} on the given host, +instead of using its own internal implementation of the telnet protocol. You can substitute a different remote shell program for @file{rsh} using the @code{remoteShell} option described below. @xref{Firewalls}. - @item -internetChessServerCommPort or -icscomm dev-name @cindex internetChessServerCommPort, option @cindex icscomm, option -If this option is set, @value{NAME} communicates with the ICS through +If this option is set, XBoard communicates with the ICS through the given character I/O device instead of opening a TCP connection. Use this option if your system does not have any kind of Internet connection itself (not even a SLIP or PPP connection), but you do have dialup access (or a hardwired terminal line) to -an Internet service provider from which you can telnet to the -ICS. +an Internet service provider from which you can telnet to the ICS. -The support for this option in @value{NAME} is minimal. You need to +The support for this option in XBoard is minimal. You need to set all communication parameters and tty modes before you enter -@value{NAME}. +XBoard. Use a script something like this: @example stty raw -echo 9600 > /dev/tty00 -@value{LCNAME} -ics -icscomm /dev/tty00 +xboard -ics -icscomm /dev/tty00 @end example Here replace @samp{/dev/tty00} with the name of the device that your modem is connected to. You might have to add several more -options to these stty commands. See the man pages for @file{stty} (1) -and @code{tty} (4) if you run into problems. Also, on many systems stty +options to these stty commands. See the man pages for @file{stty} +and @code{tty} if you run into problems. Also, on many systems stty works on its standard input instead of standard output, so you have to use @samp{<} instead of @samp{>}. @@ -573,9 +1244,8 @@ If you are using linux, try starting with the script below. Change it as necessary for your installation. @example -#################################################### #!/bin/sh -f -# configure modem and fire up @value{NAME} +# configure modem and fire up XBoard # configure modem ( @@ -583,34 +1253,27 @@ Change it as necessary for your installation. stty ignbrk ; stty ignpar ; stty ixon ; stty ixoff stty -iexten ; stty -echo ) < /dev/modem -@value{LCNAME} -ics -icscomm /dev/modem -#################################################### +xboard -ics -icscomm /dev/modem @end example @noindent -After you start @value{NAME} in this way, type whatever commands are +After you start XBoard in this way, type whatever commands are necessary to dial out to your Internet provider and log in. Then telnet to ICS, using a command like - -@example -telnet chessclub.com 5000 -@end example -@noindent +@kbd{telnet chessclub.com 5000}. Important: See the paragraph below about extra echoes, in @ref{Limitations}. - @item -icslogon or -internetChessServerLogonScript file-name @cindex icslogon, option @cindex internetChessServerLogonScript, option @cindex .icsrc -Whenever @value{NAME} connects to the Internet Chess Server, +Whenever XBoard connects to the Internet Chess Server, if it finds a file with the name given in this option, it feeds the file's contents to the ICS as commands. The default file name is @file{.icsrc}. Usually the first two lines of the file should be your ICS user name and password. -The file can be either in $CHESSDIR, in @value{NAME}'s working +The file can be either in $CHESSDIR, in XBoard's working directory if CHESSDIR is not set, or in your home directory. - @item -msLoginDelay delay @cindex msLoginDelay, option If you experience trouble logging on to an ICS when using the @@ -618,60 +1281,49 @@ If you experience trouble logging on to an ICS when using the of the logon script may help. This option adds @code{delay} milliseconds of delay between characters. Good values to try are 100 and 250. - -@item -icsinput/-xicsinput or -internetChessServerInputBox True/False +@item -icsinput/-xicsinput or -internetChessServerInputBox true/false @cindex icsinput, option @cindex internetChessServerInputBox, option Sets the ICS Input Box menu option. @xref{Mode Menu}. Default: false. - -@item -autocomm/-xautocomm or -autoComment True/False +@item -autocomm/-xautocomm or -autoComment true/false @cindex autocomm, option @cindex autoComment, option -Sets the Auto Comment menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: False. - -@item -autoflag/-xautoflag or -autoCallFlag True/False +Sets the Auto Comment menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. +@item -autoflag/-xautoflag or -autoCallFlag true/false @cindex autoflag, option @cindex autoCallFlag, option Sets the Auto Flag menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. - -@item -autobs/-xautobs or -autoObserve True/False +@item -autobs/-xautobs or -autoObserve true/false @cindex autobs, option @cindex autoObserve, option Sets the Auto Observe menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. - -@item -moves/-xmoves or -getMoveList True/False +@item -moves/-xmoves or -getMoveList true/false @cindex moves, option @cindex getMoveList, option Sets the Get Move List menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true. - -@item -alarm/-xalarm or -icsAlarm True/False +@item -alarm/-xalarm or -icsAlarm true/false @cindex alarm, option @cindex icsAlarm, option Sets the ICS Alarm menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true. - @item -icsAlarmTime ms @cindex icsAlarmTime, option Sets the time in milliseconds for the ICS Alarm menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: 5000. - -@item -pre/-xpre \fRor\fB -premove True/False +@item -pre/-xpre \fRor\fB -premove true/false @cindex pre, option @cindex premove, option Sets the Premove menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true. - -@item -quiet/-xquiet or -quietPlay True/False +@item -quiet/-xquiet or -quietPlay true/false @cindex quiet, option @cindex quietPlay, option Sets the Quiet Play menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. - @item -colorizeMessages or -colorize @cindex Colors @cindex colorize, option Setting colorizeMessages -to True tells XBoard to colorize the messages received from +to true tells XBoard to colorize the messages received from the ICS. Colorization works only if your xterm supports ISO 6429 escape sequences for changing text colors. - @item -colorShout foreground,background,bold @itemx -colorSShout foreground,background,bold @itemx -colorChannel1 foreground,background,bold @@ -708,31 +1360,30 @@ is assumed; if bold is omitted, 0 is assumed. Here is an example of how to set the colors in your @file{.Xdefaults} file. The colors shown here are the default values; you will get them if you turn @code{-colorize} on without specifying your own colors. + @example - xboard*colorizeMessages: true - xboard*colorShout: green - xboard*colorSShout: green, black, 1 - xboard*colorChannel1: cyan - xboard*colorChannel: cyan, black, 1 - xboard*colorKibitz: magenta, black, 1 - xboard*colorTell: yellow, black, 1 - xboard*colorChallenge: red, black, 1 - xboard*colorRequest: red - xboard*colorSeek: blue - xboard*colorNormal: default +xboard*colorizeMessages: true +xboard*colorShout: green +xboard*colorSShout: green, black, 1 +xboard*colorChannel1: cyan +xboard*colorChannel: cyan, black, 1 +xboard*colorKibitz: magenta, black, 1 +xboard*colorTell: yellow, black, 1 +xboard*colorChallenge: red, black, 1 +xboard*colorRequest: red +xboard*colorSeek: blue +xboard*colorNormal: default @end example - @item -soundProgram progname @cindex soundProgram, option @cindex Sounds If this option is set to a sound-playing program that is installed and -working on your system, @value{NAME} can play sound files when certain +working on your system, XBoard can play sound files when certain events occur, listed below. The default program name is "play". If any of the sound options is set to "$", the event rings the terminal bell by sending a ^G character to standard output, instead of playing a sound file. If an option is set to the empty string "", no sound is played for that event. - @item -soundShout filename @itemx -soundSShout filename @itemx -soundChannel filename @@ -752,57 +1403,52 @@ played for that event. These sounds are triggered in the same way as the colorization events described above. They all default to "", no sound. They are played only if the colorizeMessages is on. - @item -soundMove filename @cindex soundMove, option This sound is used by the Move Sound menu option. Default: "$". - @item -soundIcsAlarm filename @cindex soundIcsAlarm, option This sound is used by the ICS Alarm menu option. Default: "$". - @item -soundIcsWin filename @cindex soundIcsWin, option This sound is played when you win an ICS game. Default: "" (no sound). - @item -soundIcsLoss filename @cindex soundIcsLoss, option This sound is played when you lose an ICS game. Default: "" (no sound). - @item -soundIcsDraw filename @cindex soundIcsDraw, option This sound is played when you draw an ICS game. Default: "" (no sound). - @item -soundIcsUnfinished filename @cindex soundIcsUnfinished, option This sound is played when an ICS game that you are participating in is aborted, adjourned, or otherwise ends inconclusively. Default: "" (no sound). -Here is an example of how to set the sounds in your .Xdefaults file. +Here is an example of how to set the sounds in your .Xdefaults file: + @example - xboard*soundShout: shout.wav - xboard*soundSShout: sshout.wav - xboard*soundChannel1: channel1.wav - xboard*soundChannel: channel.wav - xboard*soundKibitz: kibitz.wav - xboard*soundTell: tell.wav - xboard*soundChallenge: challenge.wav - xboard*soundRequest: request.wav - xboard*soundSeek: seek.wav - xboard*soundMove: move.wav - xboard*soundIcsWin: win.wav - xboard*soundIcsLoss: lose.wav - xboard*soundIcsDraw: draw.wav - xboard*soundIcsUnfinished: unfinished.wav - xboard*soundIcsAlarm: alarm.wav +xboard*soundShout: shout.wav +xboard*soundSShout: sshout.wav +xboard*soundChannel1: channel1.wav +xboard*soundChannel: channel.wav +xboard*soundKibitz: kibitz.wav +xboard*soundTell: tell.wav +xboard*soundChallenge: challenge.wav +xboard*soundRequest: request.wav +xboard*soundSeek: seek.wav +xboard*soundMove: move.wav +xboard*soundIcsWin: win.wav +xboard*soundIcsLoss: lose.wav +xboard*soundIcsDraw: draw.wav +xboard*soundIcsUnfinished: unfinished.wav +xboard*soundIcsAlarm: alarm.wav @end example @end table -@node I/O options -@section Load and Save options -@cindex Options, I/O -@cindex I/O options +@node Load and Save options +@section Load and Save Options +@cindex Options, Load and Save +@cindex Load and Save options @table @asis @item -lgf or -loadGameFile file @itemx -lgi or -loadGameIndex index @@ -810,67 +1456,60 @@ Here is an example of how to set the sounds in your .Xdefaults file. @cindex loadGameFile, option @cindex lgi, option @cindex loadGameIndex, option -If the @code{loadGameFile} option is set, @value{NAME} loads the specified +If the @code{loadGameFile} option is set, XBoard loads the specified game file at startup. The file name @file{-} specifies the standard -input. If there is more than one game in the file, @value{NAME} -pops up a menu of the available games, with entries based on their PGN tags. +input. If there is more than one game in the file, XBoard +pops up a menu of the available games, with entries based on their PGN +(Portable Game Notation) tags. If the @code{loadGameIndex} option is set to @samp{N}, the menu is suppressed and the N th game found in the file is loaded immediately. The menu is also suppressed if @code{matchMode} is enabled or if the game file is a pipe; in these cases the first game in the file is loaded immediately. -@ifset XBOARD -Use the @file{pxboard} shell script provided with @value{NAME} if you +Use the @file{pxboard} shell script provided with XBoard if you want to pipe in files containing multiple games and still see the menu. -@end ifset - @item -td or -timeDelay seconds @cindex td, option @cindex timeDelay, option Time delay between moves during @samp{Load Game}. Fractional seconds are allowed; try @samp{-td 0.4}. A time delay value of -1 tells -@value{NAME} not to step through game files automatically. Default: 1 +XBoard not to step through game files automatically. Default: 1 second. - @item -sgf or -saveGameFile file @cindex sgf, option @cindex saveGameFile, option -If this option is set, @value{NAME} appends a record of every game +If this option is set, XBoard appends a record of every game played to the specified file. The file name @file{-} specifies the standard output. - -@item -autosave/-xautosave or -autoSaveGames True/False +@item -autosave/-xautosave or -autoSaveGames true/false @cindex autosave, option @cindex autoSaveGames, option Sets the Auto Save menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. Ignored if @code{saveGameFile} is set. - @item -lpf or -loadPositionFile file @itemx -lpi or -loadPositionIndex index @cindex lpf, option @cindex loadPositionFile, option @cindex lpi, option @cindex loadPositionIndex, option -If the @code{loadPositionFile} option is set, @value{NAME} loads the +If the @code{loadPositionFile} option is set, XBoard loads the specified position file at startup. The file name @file{-} specifies the standard input. If the @code{loadPositionIndex} option is set to N, the Nth position found in the file is loaded; otherwise the first position is loaded. - @item -spf or -savePositionFile file @cindex spf, option @cindex savePositionFile, option -If this option is set, @value{NAME} appends the final position reached +If this option is set, XBoard appends the final position reached in every game played to the specified file. The file name @file{-} specifies the standard output. - -@item -oldsave/-xoldsave or -oldSaveStyle True/False +@item -oldsave/-xoldsave or -oldSaveStyle true/false @cindex oldsave, option @cindex oldSaveStyle, option Sets the Old Save Style menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. @end table @node User interface options -@section Look and Feel options +@section User Interface Options @cindex User interface options @cindex Options, User interface @table @asis @@ -880,44 +1519,30 @@ Sets the Old Save Style menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. @cindex display, option @cindex geometry, option @cindex iconic, option -These are just the standard Xt options accepted by @value{NAME}. - -@item -movesound/-xmovesound or -bell/-xbell or -ringBellAfterMoves True/False +These and most other standard Xt options are accepted. +@item -movesound/-xmovesound or -ringBellAfterMoves true/false @cindex movesound, option @cindex bell, option @cindex ringBellAfterMoves, option Sets the Move Sound menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. - -@item -exit/-xexit or -popupExitMessage True/False +For compatibility with old XBoard versions, -bell/-xbell are also +accepted as abbreviations for this option. +@item -exit/-xexit or -popupExitMessage true/false @cindex exit, option @cindex popupExitMessage, option -Sets the Popup Exit Message menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: True. - -@item -popup/-xpopup or -popupMoveErrors True/False +Sets the Popup Exit Message menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true. +@item -popup/-xpopup or -popupMoveErrors true/false @cindex popup, option @cindex popupMoveErrors, option -Sets the Popup Move Errors menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: False. - -@item -queen/-xqueen or -alwaysPromoteToQueen True/False +Sets the Popup Move Errors menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. +@item -queen/-xqueen or -alwaysPromoteToQueen true/false @cindex queen, option @cindex alwaysPromoteToQueen, option Sets the Always Queen menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. - -@item -legal/-xlegal or -testLegality True/False +@item -legal/-xlegal or -testLegality true/false @cindex legal, option @cindex testLegality, option -If this option is true (the default), -@value{NAME} -tests whether moves you try to make with the mouse are legal, and -refuses to let you make an illegal move. Moves loaded from a file -with @samp{Load Game} are also checked. -If the option is false, all moves are accepted. -If GNU Chess, Crafty, or the ICS is active, -they will still reject illegal moves. Turning off this option is -useful if you are playing a chess variant with rules that -@value{NAME} -does not understand. - +Sets the Test Legality menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true. @item -size or -boardSize (sizeName | n1,n2,n3,n4,n5,n6,n7) @cindex size, option @cindex boardSize, option @@ -929,7 +1554,7 @@ Colossal 116x116, Giant 108x108, Huge 95x95, Big 87x87, Large 80x80, Bulky 72x72 Medium 64x64, Moderate 58x58, Average 54x54, Middling 49x49, Mediocre 45x45, Small 40x40, Slim 37x37, Petite 33x33, Dinky 29x29, Teeny 25x25, or Tiny 21x21. -Pieces of all these sizes are built into @value{NAME}. +Pieces of all these sizes are built into XBoard. Other sizes can be used if you have them; see the pixmapDirectory and bitmapDirectory options. @@ -950,59 +1575,59 @@ and @code{n7} the tinyLayout flag (0 or 1). All dimensions are in pixels. If the border between squares is eliminated (0 width), the various highlight options will not work, as there is nowhere to draw the highlight. -If smallLayout is 1 and @code{titleInWindow} is True, +If smallLayout is 1 and @code{titleInWindow} is true, the window layout is rearranged to make more room for the title. If tinyLayout is 1, the labels on the menu bar are abbreviated to one character each and the buttons in the button bar are made narrower. - -@item -coords/-xcoords or -showCoords True/False +@item -coords/-xcoords or -showCoords true/false @cindex coords, option @cindex showCoords, option Sets the Show Coords menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. The @code{coordFont} option specifies what font to use. - -@item -autoraise/-xautoraise or -autoRaiseBoard True/False +@item -autoraise/-xautoraise or -autoRaiseBoard true/false @cindex autoraise, option @cindex autoRaiseBoard, option -Sets the Auto Raise Board menu option. Default: true. - -@item -autoflip/-xautoflip or -autoFlipView True/False +Sets the Auto Raise Board menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true. +@item -autoflip/-xautoflip or -autoFlipView true/false @cindex autoflip, option @cindex autoFlipView, option -Sets the Auto Flip View menu option. Default: true. - -@item -flip/-xflip or -flipView True/False +Sets the Auto Flip View menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true. +@item -flip/-xflip or -flipView true/false @cindex flip, option @cindex flipView, option If Auto Flip View is not set, or if you are observing but not participating in a game, then the positioning of the board at the start of each game -depends on the flipView option. If flipView is False (the default), +depends on the flipView option. If flipView is false (the default), the board is positioned so that the white pawns move from the bottom to the -top; if True, the black pawns move from the bottom to the top. -In any case, the Flip menu option can be used to flip the board after +top; if true, the black pawns move from the bottom to the top. +In any case, the Flip menu option (see @ref{Options Menu}) +can be used to flip the board after the game starts. - -@item -title/-xtitle or -titleInWindow True/False +@item -title/-xtitle or -titleInWindow true/false @cindex title, option @cindex titleInWindow, option -If this option is true, @value{NAME} displays player names (for ICS +If this option is true, XBoard displays player names (for ICS games) and game file names (for @samp{Load Game}) inside its main window. If the option is false (the default), this information is displayed only in the window banner. You probably won't want to set this option unless the information is not showing up in the banner, as happens with a few X window managers. - -@item -mono/-xmono or -monoMode True/False +@item -buttons/-xbuttons or -showButtonBar True/False +@cindex buttons, option +@cindex showButtonBar, option +If this option is False, xboard omits the [<<] [<] [P] [>] [>>] button +bar from the window, allowing the message line to be wider. You can +still get the functions of these buttons using the menus or their keyboard +shortcuts. Default: true. +@item -mono/-xmono or -monoMode true/false @cindex mono, option @cindex monoMode, option -Determines whether @value{NAME} displays its pieces and squares with +Determines whether XBoard displays its pieces and squares with two colors (true) or four (false). You shouldn't have to -specify @code{monoMode}; @value{NAME} will determine if it is necessary. - +specify @code{monoMode}; XBoard will determine if it is necessary. @item -flashCount count @itemx -flashRate rate -@itemx -flash -@itemx -xflash +@itemx -flash/-xflash @cindex flashCount, option @cindex flashRate, option @cindex flash, option @@ -1020,76 +1645,70 @@ sets flashCount to 3. @code{xflash} sets flashCount to 0. Defaults: flashCount=0 (no flashing), flashRate=5. - -@item -highlight/-xhighlight or -highlightLastMove True/False +@item -highlight/-xhighlight or -highlightLastMove true/false @cindex highlight, option @cindex highlightLastMove, option -Sets the Highlight Last Move menu option. Default: false. - -@item -blind/-xblind or -blindfold True/False +Sets the Highlight Last Move menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. +@item -blind/-xblind or -blindfold true/false @cindex blind, option @cindex blindfold, option -Sets the Blindfold menu option. Default: false. - +Sets the Blindfold menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. @item -clockFont font @cindex clockFont, option @cindex Font, clock The font used for the clocks. If the option value is a pattern -that does not specify the font size, @value{NAME} tries to choose an +that does not specify the font size, XBoard tries to choose an appropriate font for the board size being used. Default: -*-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*. - @item -coordFont font @cindex coordFont, option @cindex Font, coordinates The font used for rank and file coordinate labels if @code{showCoords} is true. If the option value is a pattern that does not specify -the font size, @value{NAME} tries to choose an appropriate font for +the font size, XBoard tries to choose an appropriate font for the board size being used. Default: -*-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*. - @item -font font @cindex font, option @cindex Font The font used for popup dialogs, menus, comments, etc. If the option value is a pattern that does not specify -the font size, @value{NAME} tries to choose an appropriate font for +the font size, XBoard tries to choose an appropriate font for the board size being used. Default: -*-helvetica-medium-r-normal--*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*. - @item -fontSizeTolerance tol @cindex fontSizeTolerance, option In the font selection algorithm, a nonscalable font will be preferred -over a scalable font if the nonscalable font's size differs by tol pixels +over a scalable font if the nonscalable font's size differs +by @code{tol} pixels or less from the desired size. A value of -1 will force a scalable font to always be used if available; a value of 0 will use a nonscalable font only if it is exactly the right size; a large value (say 1000) will force a nonscalable font to always be used if available. Default: 4. - @item -bm or -bitmapDirectory dir @itemx -pixmap or -pixmapDirectory dir @cindex bm, option @cindex bitmapDirectory, option @cindex pixmap, option @cindex pixmapDirectory, option -These options control what piece images xboard uses. The @value{NAME} +These options control what piece images xboard uses. The XBoard distribution includes one set of pixmap pieces in xpm format, in the -directory @file{pixmaps}, and two sets of bitmap pieces in xbm format, -in the directories @file{bitmaps} and @file{bitmaps.xchess}. Pixmap +directory @file{pixmaps}, and one set of bitmap pieces in xbm format, +in the directory @file{bitmaps}. Pixmap pieces give a better appearance on the screen: the white pieces have dark borders, and the black pieces have opaque internal details. With bitmaps, neither piece color has a border, and the internal details are transparent; you see the square color or other background color through them. -If @value{NAME} is configured and compiled on a system that includes libXpm, +If XBoard is configured and compiled on a system that includes libXpm, the X pixmap library, the xpm pixmap pieces are compiled in as the default. A different xpm piece set can be selected at runtime with the @code{pixmapDirectory} option, or a bitmap piece set can be selected with the @code{bitmapDirectory} option. -If @value{NAME} is configured and compiled on a system that does not include +If XBoard is configured and compiled on a system that does not include libXpm (or the @code{--disable-xpm} option is given to the configure program), the bitmap pieces are compiled in as the default. It is not possible to use xpm pieces in this case, but pixmap pieces in another @@ -1115,8 +1734,7 @@ by supplying files named @file{icon_white.bm}, @file{icon_black.bm}, and @file{checkmark.bm}. For more information about pixmap pieces and how to get additional -sets, see @ref{zic2xpm}. - +sets, see @ref{zic2xpm} below. @item -whitePieceColor color @itemx -blackPieceColor color @itemx -lightSquareColor color @@ -1130,6 +1748,7 @@ sets, see @ref{zic2xpm}. @cindex highlightSquareColor, option Colors to use for the pieces, squares, and square highlights. Defaults: + @example -whitePieceColor #FFFFCC -blackPieceColor #202020 @@ -1140,6 +1759,7 @@ Defaults: @end example On a grayscale monitor you might prefer: + @example -whitePieceColor gray100 -blackPieceColor gray0 @@ -1148,17 +1768,14 @@ On a grayscale monitor you might prefer: -highlightSquareColor gray100 -premoveHighlightColor gray70 @end example - -@item -drag/-xdrag or -animateDragging True/False +@item -drag/-xdrag or -animateDragging true/false @cindex drag, option @cindex animateDragging, option -Sets the Animate Dragging menu option. Default: True. - -@item -animate/-xanimate or -animateMoving True/False +Sets the Animate Dragging menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true. +@item -animate/-xanimate or -animateMoving true/false @cindex animate, option @cindex animateMoving, option -Sets the Animate Moving menu option. Default: True. - +Sets the Animate Moving menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true. @item -animateSpeed n @cindex -animateSpeed, option Number of milliseconds delay between each animation frame when Animate @@ -1166,50 +1783,46 @@ Moves is on. @end table @node Other options -@section Miscellaneous +@section Other Options @cindex Options, miscellaneous @table @asis - -@item -ncp/-xncp or -noChessProgram True/False +@item -ncp/-xncp or -noChessProgram true/false @cindex ncp, option @cindex noChessProgram, option -If this option is true, @value{NAME} acts as a passive chessboard; it +If this option is true, XBoard acts as a passive chessboard; it does not start a chess engine at all. Turning on this option also turns off clockMode. Default: false. - @item -mode or -initialMode modename @cindex mode, option @cindex initalMode, option -If this option is given, @value{NAME} selects the given modename +If this option is given, XBoard selects the given modename from the Mode menu after starting and (if applicable) processing the loadGameFile or loadPositionFile option. Default: "" (no selection). Other supported values are MachineWhite, MachineBlack, TwoMachines, Analysis, AnalyzeFile, EditGame, EditPosition, and Training. - @item -variant varname @cindex variant, option - Activates preliminary, partial support for playing chess variants against a local engine or editing variant games. This flag is not needed in ICS mode. Recognized variant names are: @example - normal Normal chess - wildcastle Shuffle chess, king can castle from d file - nocastle Shuffle chess, no castling allowed - fischerandom Fischer Random shuffle chess - bughouse Bughouse, ICC/FICS rules - crazyhouse Crazyhouse, ICC/FICS rules - losers Lose all pieces or get mated (ICC wild 17) - suicide Lose all pieces including king (FICS) - giveaway Try to have no legal moves (ICC wild 26) - twokings Weird ICC wild 9 - kriegspiel Opponent's pieces are invisible - atomic Capturing piece explodes (ICC wild 27) - 3check Win by giving check 3 times (ICC wild 25) - shatranj An ancient precursor of chess (ICC wild 28) - unknown Catchall for other unknown variants +normal Normal chess +wildcastle Shuffle chess, king can castle from d file +nocastle Shuffle chess, no castling allowed +fischerandom Fischer Random shuffle chess +bughouse Bughouse, ICC/FICS rules +crazyhouse Crazyhouse, ICC/FICS rules +losers Lose all pieces or get mated (ICC wild 17) +suicide Lose all pieces including king (FICS) +giveaway Try to have no legal moves (ICC wild 26) +twokings Weird ICC wild 9 +kriegspiel Opponent's pieces are invisible +atomic Capturing piece explodes (ICC wild 27) +3check Win by giving check 3 times (ICC wild 25) +shatranj An ancient precursor of chess (ICC wild 28) +unknown Catchall for other unknown variants @end example In the shuffle variants, xboard does not shuffle the pieces, but @@ -1220,19 +1833,16 @@ interposition on mate), losers, suicide, giveaway, atomic, and 3check are not fully understood. In crazyhouse, xboard does not yet keep track of offboard pieces. Shatranj is unsupported, but it may be usable if you turn off Test Legality. - -@item -debug/-xdebug or -debugMode True/False +@item -debug/-xdebug or -debugMode true/false @cindex debug, option @cindex debugMode, option Turns on debugging printout. - @item -rsh or -remoteShell shell-name @cindex rsh, option @cindex remoteShell, option Name of the command used to run programs remotely. The default -is @file{rsh} or @file{remsh}, determined when @value{NAME} is +is @file{rsh} or @file{remsh}, determined when XBoard is configured and compiled. - @item -ruser or -remoteUser user-name @cindex ruser, option @cindex remoteUser, option @@ -1240,935 +1850,40 @@ User name on the remote system when running programs with the @code{remoteShell}. The default is your local user name. @end table - -@node Menus -@chapter Menus, buttons and keys -@cindex Menus -To move a piece, either drag it with the left mouse button, -or click the left mouse button once on the piece, then once more on -the destination square. -To drop a new piece on a -square (when applicable), press the -middle or right mouse button over the square -and select from the popup menu. - -All other @value{NAME} commands are available from the menu bar. The most -frequently used commands also have shortcut keys or on-screen buttons. - -@menu -* File Menu:: Accessing external games and positions. -* Mode Menu:: Selecting @value{NAME}'s mode. -* Action Menu:: Talking to the chess engine or ICS opponents. -* Step Menu:: Controlling the game. -* Options Menu:: User preferences. -* Help Menu:: Getting help. -* Keys:: Other shortcut keys. -@end menu - -@node File Menu -@section Accessing external games and positions -@cindex File Menu -@cindex Menu, File -@table @asis -@item Reset -@cindex Reset, Menuitem -Resets @value{NAME} and the chess engine to the beginning of a new chess -game. The @samp{r} key is a keyboard equivalent. In Internet Chess -Server mode, clears the current state of @value{NAME}, then -resynchronizes with ICS by sending a refresh command. If you want to -stop playing, observing, or examining a game on ICS, use an -appropriate command from the Action menu, not @samp{Reset}. @xref{Action -Menu}. - -@item Load Game -@cindex Load Game, Menuitem -Plays a game from a record file. The @samp{g} key is a keyboard equivalent. -A popup dialog prompts you for the file name. If the file contains more -than one game, a second popup dialog -displays a list of games (with information drawn from their PGN tags, if -any), and you can select the one you want. Alternatively, you can load the -Nth game in the file directly, by typing the number @samp{N} after the -file name, separated by a space. - -The game file parser will accept PGN (portable game notation), -or in fact almost any file that contains moves in algebraic -notation. -Notation of the form @samp{P@@f7} -is accepted for piece-drops in bughouse games; -this is a nonstandard extension to PGN. -If the file includes a PGN position (FEN tag), or an -@value{NAME} position diagram bracketed by @samp{[--} and @samp{--]} -before the first move, the game starts from that position. Text -enclosed in parentheses, square brackets, or curly braces is assumed to -be commentary and is displayed in a pop-up window. Any other -text in the file is ignored. PGN variations (enclosed in -parentheses) are treated as comments; @value{NAME} is not able to walk -variation trees. -The nonstandard PGN tag [Variant "varname"] functions similarly to -the -variant command-line option (see below), allowing games in certain chess -variants to be loaded. There is also a heuristic to -recognize chess variants from the Event tag, by looking for the strings -that the Internet Chess Servers put there when saving variant ("wild") games. - -@item Load Next Game -@cindex Load Next Game, Menuitem -Loads the next game from the last game record file you loaded. -The shifted @samp{N} key is a keyboard equivalent. -Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe. - -@item Load Previous Game -@cindex Load Previous Game, Menuitem -Loads the previous game from the last game record file you -loaded. The shifted @samp{P} key is a keyboard equivalent. -Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe. - -@item Reload Same Game -@cindex Reload Same Game, Menuitem -Reloads the last game you loaded. - -@item Save Game -@cindex Save Game, Menuitem -Appends a record of the current game to a file. -A popup dialog -prompts you for the file name. If the game did not begin with -the standard starting position, the game file includes the -starting position used. Games are saved in the PGN (portable -game notation) format, unless the oldSaveStyle option is true, -in which case they are saved in an older format that is specific -to @value{NAME}. Both formats are human-readable, and both can be -read back by the @samp{Load Game} command. -Notation of the form @samp{P@@f7} -is accepted for piece-drops in bughouse games; -this is a nonstandard extension to PGN. - -@item Copy Game -@cindex Copy Game, Menuitem -Copies a record of the current game to an internal clipboard in PGN -format and sets the X selection to the game text. The game can be -pasted to another application (such as a text editor or another copy -of @value{NAME}) using that application's paste command. In many X -applications, such as xterm and emacs, the middle mouse button can be -used for pasting; in @value{NAME}, you must use the Paste Game command. - -@item Paste Game -@cindex Paste Game, Menuitem -Interprets the current X selection as a game record and loads it, as -with Load Game. - -@item Load Position -@cindex Load Position, Menuitem -Sets up a position from a position file. A popup dialog prompts -you for the file name. If the file contains more than one saved -position, and you want to load the Nth one, type the number N -after the file name, separated by a space. Position files must -be in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation), or in the format that the -Save Position command writes when oldSaveStyle is turned on. - -@item Load Next Position -@cindex Load Next Position, Menuitem -Loads the next position from the last position file you loaded. -Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe. - -@item Load Previous Position -@cindex Load Previous Position, Menuitem -Loads the previous position from the last position file you -loaded. Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe. - -@item Reload Same Position -@cindex Reload Same Position, Menuitem -Reloads the last position you loaded. - -@item Save Position -@cindex Save Game, Menuitem -Appends a diagram of the current position to a file. -A popup dialog -prompts you for the file name. Positions are saved in -FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation) format unless the @code{oldSaveStyle} -option is true, in which case they are saved in an older, -human-readable format that is specific to @value{NAME}. Both formats -can be read back by the @samp{Load Position} command. - -@item Copy Position -@cindex Copy Position, Menuitem -Copies the current position to an internal clipboard in FEN format and -sets the X selection to the position text. The position can be pasted -to another application (such as a text editor or another copy of -@value{NAME}) using that application's paste command. In many X -applications, such as xterm and emacs, the middle mouse button can be -used for pasting; in @value{NAME}, you must use the Paste Position command. - -@item Paste Position -@cindex Paste Position, Menuitem -Interprets the current X selection as a FEN position and loads it, as -with Load Position. - -@item Mail Move -@itemx Reload CMail Message -@cindex Mail Move, Menuitem -@cindex Reload CMail Message, Menuitem -See @ref{CMail}. - -@item Exit -@cindex Exit, Menuitem -Exits from @value{NAME}. The shifted @samp{Q} key is a keyboard equivalent. -@end table - - -@node Mode Menu -@section Selecting @value{NAME}'s mode -@cindex Menu, Mode -@cindex Mode Menu -@table @asis -@item Machine White -@cindex Machine White, Menuitem -Forces the chess engine to play White. - -@item Machine Black -@cindex Machine Black, Menuitem -Forces the chess engine to play Black. - -@item Two Machines -@cindex Two Machines, Menuitem -Plays a game between two chess engines. - -@item Analysis Mode -@cindex Analysis Mode, Menuitem -XBoard with Crafty only. -For information on getting Crafty, see @ref{Crafty}. - -XBoard tells Crafty to start analyzing the current game/position -and shows you the analysis as you move pieces around. - -To setup a position to analyze, you do the following: - -1. Select Edit Position from the Mode Menu - -2. Setup the position (use the right and middle buttons to -bring up the Black/White piece menus). - -3. When you are finished, click on either the Black or White -clock to tell XBoard which side moves first. - -4. Select Analysis Mode from the Mode Menu to start the analysis. - -@item Analyze File -@cindex Analyze File, Menuitem -XBoard with Crafty only. -For information on getting Crafty, see @ref{Crafty}. - -This option lets you load a game from a file (PGN, XBoard format, etc.) -and analyze it. When you select this menu item, a popup window appears -and asks for a filename to load. -If the file contains multiple games, another popup appears that lets -you select which game you wish to analyze. -After a game is loaded, use the XBoard arrow buttons to step -forwards/backwards through the game and watch Crafty's analysis. - -@item ICS Client -@cindex ICS Client, Menuitem -ICS mode only. Takes @value{NAME} out of the Edit Game or -Edit Position state. - -While you are examining a game on the ICS, you can issue the ICS -position-editing commands with the mouse. Do this with @samp{ICS -Client} selected on the Mode menu, not @samp{Edit Position}; the latter -edits only your local copy of the position. - -To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse button 2 or 3 over -the square. This brings up a menu of white pieces (button 2) or -black pieces (button 3). -Additional menu choices let you empty the square or clear the board. -You cannot set the side to play or drag pieces to arbitrary squares -while examining on ICS, however; the ICS permits only legal moves -in this mode. - -If you are playing a bughouse game on the ICS, you can drop an offboard piece -by pressing mouse button 2 or 3 over an empty square to bring up a piece menu. -It makes no difference which button you use. -A list of the offboard pieces -each player has available is shown in the window title after the player's name. - -@item Edit Game -@cindex Edit Game, Menuitem -Allows you to make moves for both Black and White, and to change -moves after backing up with the @samp{Backward} command. The clocks do -not run. - -In GNU Chess mode, the chess engine continues to check moves for legality -but does not participate in the game. You can bring the chess engine -into the game by selecting @samp{Machine White}, @samp{Machine Black}, -or @samp{Two Machines}. - -In ICS mode, the moves are not sent to the ICS: @samp{Edit Game} takes -@value{NAME} out of ICS Client mode and lets you edit games locally. -If you want to edit games on ICS in a way that other ICS users -can see, use the ICS examine command or start an ICS match -against yourself. - -@item Edit Position -@cindex Edit Position, Menuitem -Lets you set up an arbitrary board position. -Use mouse button 1 to drag pieces to new squares, or to delete a piece -by dragging it off the board or dragging an empty square on top of it. -To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse button 2 or 3 over the -square. This brings up a menu of white pieces (button 2) or -black pieces (button 3). Additional menu choices let you empty the -square or clear the board. You can set the side to play next by -clicking on the White or Black indicator at the top of the screen. -Selecting @samp{Edit Position} causes @value{NAME} to discard -all remembered moves in the current game. - -In ICS mode, changes made to the position by @samp{Edit Position} are -not sent to the ICS: @samp{Edit Position} takes @value{NAME} out of -@samp{ICS Client} mode and lets you edit positions locally. If you want to -edit positions on ICS in a way that other ICS users can see, use -the @samp{ICS examine} command, or start an ICS match against yourself. -(See also the ICS Client topic above.) - -@item Training -@cindex Training, Menuitem -Training mode lets you interactively guess the moves of a game for one -of the players. You guess the next move of the game by playing the -move on the board. If the move played matches the next move of the -game, the move is accepted and the opponent's response is autoplayed. -If the move played is incorrect, an error message is displayed. You -can select this mode only while loading a game (that is, after -selecting Load Game from the File menu). While @value{NAME} is in Training -mode, the navigation buttons are disabled. - -@item Show Game List -@cindex Show Game List, Menuitem -Shows or hides the list of games generated by the last @samp{Load Game} -command. - -@item Edit Tags -@cindex Edit Tags, Menuitem -Lets you edit the PGN (portable game notation) -tags for the current game. After editing, the tags must still conform to -the PGN tag syntax: - -@example - ::= - - ::= [ ] - ::= - ::= -@end example -@noindent -See the PGN Standard for full details. Here is an example: - -@example -[Event "Portoroz Interzonal"] -[Site "Portoroz, Yugoslavia"] -[Date "1958.08.16"] -[Round "8"] -[White "Robert J. Fischer"] -[Black "Bent Larsen"] -[Result "1-0"] -@end example -@noindent -Any characters that do not match this syntax are silently ignored. Note that -the PGN standard requires all games to have at least the seven tags shown -above. Any that you omit will be filled in by @value{NAME} -with @samp{?} (unknown value), or @samp{-} (inapplicable value). - -@item Edit Comment -@cindex Edit Comment, Menuitem -Adds or modifies a comment on the current position. Comments are -saved by @samp{Save Game} and are displayed by @samp{Load Game}, -@samp{Forward}, and @samp{Backward}. - -@item ICS Input Box -@cindex ICS Input Box, Menuitem -If this option is set in ICS mode, -@value{NAME} -creates an extra window that you can use for typing in ICS commands. -The input box is especially useful if you want to type in something long or do -some editing on your input, because output from ICS doesn't get mixed -in with your typing as it would in the main terminal window. - -@item Pause -@cindex Pause, Menuitem -Pauses updates to the board, and if you are playing against a chess engine, -also pauses your clock. To continue, select @samp{Pause} again, and the -display will automatically update to the latest position. -The @samp{P} button and keyboard @samp{p} key are equivalents. - -If you select Pause when you are playing against a chess engine and -it is not your move, the chess engine's clock -will continue to run and it will eventually make a move, at which point -both clocks will stop. Since board updates are paused, however, -you will not see the move until you exit from Pause mode (or select Forward). -This behavior is meant to simulate adjournment with a sealed move. - -If you select Pause while you are in -@code{examine} mode on ICS, you can step backward and forward in the -current history of the examined game without affecting the other observers -and examiners. Select Pause again to reconnect yourself to the current state -of the game on ICS. - -If you select @samp{Pause} while you are loading a game, the game stops -loading. You can load more moves manually by selecting @samp{Forward}, or -resume automatic loading by selecting @samp{Pause} again. -@end table - - -@node Action Menu -@section Talking to GNU chess or ICS opponents -@cindex Menu, Action -@cindex Action, Menu -@table @asis -@item Accept -@cindex Accept, Menuitem -Accepts a pending match offer. If there is more than one offer -pending, you will have to type in a more specific command -instead of using this menu choice. ICS mode only. - -@item Decline -@cindex Decline, Menuitem -Declines a pending offer (match, draw, adjourn, etc.). If there -is more than one offer pending, you will have to type in a more -specific command instead of using this menu choice. ICS mode only. - -@item Call Flag -@cindex Call Flag, Menuitem -Calls your opponent's flag, claiming a win on time, or claiming -a draw if you are both out of time. You can also call your -opponent's flag by clicking on his clock or by pressing the -keyboard @samp{t} key. - -@item Draw -@cindex Draw, Menuitem -Offers a draw to your opponent, accepts a pending draw offer -from your opponent, or claims a draw by repetition or the 50-move -rule, as appropriate. The @samp{d} key is a keyboard equivalent. -Not available in GNU Chess mode. - -@item Adjourn -@cindex Adjourn, Menuitem -Asks your opponent to agree to adjourning the current game, or -agrees to a pending adjournment offer from your opponent. ICS -mode only. - -@item Abort -@cindex Abort, Menuitem -Asks your opponent to agree to aborting the current game, or -agrees to a pending abort offer from your opponent. An aborted -game ends immediately without affecting either player's rating. - -@item Resign -@cindex Resign, Menuitem -Resigns the game to your opponent. The shifted @samp{R} key is a -keyboard equivalent. - -@item Stop Observing -@cindex Stop Observing, Menuitem -Ends your participation in observing a game, by issuing the ICS -observe command with no arguments. ICS mode only. - -@item Stop Examining -@cindex Stop Examining, Menuitem -Ends your participation in examining a game, by issuing the ICS -unexamine command. ICS mode only. -@end table - - -@node Step Menu -@section Controlling the game -@cindex Step Menu -@cindex Menu, Step -@table @asis -@item Backward -@cindex Backward, Menuitem -@cindex <, Button -Steps backward through a series of remembered moves. -The @samp{[<]} button and the @samp{b} key are equivalents. -In addition, pressing the Control key steps back one move, and releasing -it steps forward again. - -In most modes, @samp{Backward} only lets you look back at old positions; -it does not retract moves. This is the case if you are playing against -a chess engine, playing or observing a game on the ICS, or loading a game. -If you select @samp{Backward} in any of these situations, you will not -be allowed to make a different move. Use @samp{Retract Move} or -@samp{Edit Game} if you want to change past moves. - -If you are examining a game on ICS, the behavior of @samp{Backward} -depends on whether @value{NAME} is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is -off, @samp{Backward} issues the ICS backward command, which backs up -everyone's view of the game and allows you to make a different -move. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Backward} only backs up your local -view. - -@item Forward -@cindex Forward, Menuitem -@cindex >, Button -Steps forward through a series of remembered moves (undoing the -effect of @samp{Backward}) or forward through a game file. The -@samp{[>]} button and the @samp{f} key are equivalents. - -If you are examining a game on ICS, the behavior of Forward -depends on whether @value{NAME} is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is -off, @samp{Forward} issues the ICS forward command, which moves -everyone's view of the game forward along the current line. If -Pause mode is on, @samp{Forward} only moves your local view forward, -and it will not go past the position that the game was in when -you paused. - -@item Back to Start -@cindex Back to Start, Menuitem -@cindex <<, Button -Jumps backward to the first remembered position in the game. -The @samp{[<<]} button and the shifted @samp{B} key are equivalents. - -In most modes, Back to Start only lets you look back at old -positions; it does not retract moves. This is the case if you -are playing against GNU chess, playing or observing a game on -the ICS, or loading a game. If you select @samp{Back to Start} in any -of these situations, you will not be allowed to make different -moves. Use @samp{Retract Move} or @samp{Edit Game} if you want to change past -moves; or use Reset to start a new game. - -If you are examining a game on ICS, the behavior of @samp{Back to -Start} depends on whether @value{NAME} is in Pause mode. If Pause mode -is off, @samp{Back to Start} issues the ICS @samp{backward 999999} -command, which backs up everyone's view of the game to the start and -allows you to make different moves. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Back -to Start} only backs up your local view. - -@item Forward to End -@cindex Forward to End, Menuitem -@cindex >>, Button -Jumps forward to the last remembered position in the game. The -@samp{[>>]} button and the shifted @samp{F} key are equivalents. - -If you are examining a game on ICS, the behavior of @samp{Forward to -End} depends on whether @value{NAME} is in Pause mode. If Pause mode -is off, @samp{Forward to End} issues the ICS @samp{forward 999999} -command, which moves everyone's view of the game forward to the end of -the current line. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Forward to End} only moves -your local view forward, and it will not go past the position -that the game was in when you paused. - -@item Revert -@cindex Revert, Menuitem -If you are examining a game on ICS and Pause mode is off, issues -the ICS command @samp{revert}. - -@item Truncate Game -@cindex Truncate Game, Menuitem -Discards all remembered moves of the game beyond the current -position. Puts @value{NAME} into @samp{Edit Game} mode if it was not there -already. - -@item Move Now -@cindex Move Now, Menuitem -Forces the chess engine to move immediately. GNU Chess mode only. - -@item Retract Move -@cindex Retract Move, Menuitem -Retracts your last move. In GNU Chess mode, you can do this only -after the chess engine has replied to your move; if the chess engine is still -thinking, use @samp{Move Now} first. In ICS mode, @samp{Retract Move} -issues the command @samp{takeback 1} or @samp{takeback 2} -depending on whether it is your opponent's move or yours. -@end table - - -@node Options Menu -@section User Preferences -@cindex Menu, Options -@cindex Options Menu -@table @asis -@item Always Queen -@cindex Always Queen, Menuitem -If this option is off, @value{NAME} brings up a dialog -box whenever you move a pawn to the last rank, asking what piece -you want to promote it to. If the option is true, your pawns are -always promoted to queens. Your opponent can still underpromote, -however. -@item Animate Dragging -@cindex Animate Dragging, Menuitem -If Animate Dragging is on, while you are dragging a piece with the -mouse, an image of the piece follows the mouse cursor. -If Animate Dragging is off, there is no visual feedback while you are -dragging a piece, but if Animate Moving is on, the move will be -animated when it is complete. -@item Animate Moving -@cindex Animate Moving, Menuitem -If Animate Moving is on, all piece moves are animated. An image of the -piece is shown moving from the old square to the new square when the -move is completed (unless the move was already animated by Animate Dragging). -If Animate Moving is off, a moved piece instantly disappears from its -old square and reappears on its new square when the move is complete. -@item Auto Comment -@cindex Auto Comment, Menuitem -If this option is on, any remarks made on ICS while you are observing or -playing a game are recorded as a comment on the current move. This includes -remarks made with the ICS commands @kbd{say}, @kbd{tell}, @kbd{whisper}, -and @kbd{kibitz}. -Limitation: remarks that you type yourself are not recognized; -@value{NAME} scans only the output from ICS, not the input you type to it. -@item Auto Flag -@cindex Auto Flag, Menuitem -If this option is on and one player runs out of time -before the other, -@value{NAME} -will automatically call his flag, claiming a win on time. -In ICS mode, Auto Flag will only call your opponent's flag, not yours, -and the ICS may award you a draw instead of a win if you have -insufficient mating material. In local chess engine mode, -@value{NAME} -may call either player's flag and will not take material into account. -@item Auto Flip View -@cindex Auto Flip View, Menuitem -If the Auto Flip View option is on when you start a game, the board -will be automatically oriented so that your pawns move from the bottom -of the window towards the top. -@item Auto Observe -@cindex Auto Observe, Menuitem -If this option is on and you add a player to your @code{gnotify} -list on ICS, @value{NAME} will automatically observe all of that -player's games, unless you are doing something else (such as -observing or playing a game of your own) when one starts. -The games are displayed -from the point of view of the player on your gnotify list; that is, his -pawns move from the bottom of the window towards the top. -Exceptions: If both players in a game are on your gnotify list, if -your ICS -@code{highlight} -variable is set to 0, or if the ICS you are using does not -properly support observing from Black's point of view, -you will see the game from White's point of view. -@item Auto Raise Board -@cindex Auto Raise Board, Menuitem -If this option is on, whenever a new game begins, the chessboard window -is deiconized (if necessary) and raised to the top of the stack of windows. -@item Auto Save -@cindex Auto Save, Menuitem -If this option is true, at the end of every game @value{NAME} prompts -you for a file name and appends a record of the game to the file -you specify. -Disabled if the @code{saveGameFile} command-line -option is set, as in that case all games are saved to the specified file. -@xref{I/O options}. -@item Blindfold -@cindex Blindfold, Menuitem -If this option is on, @value{NAME} displays the board as usual but does -not display pieces or move highlights. You can still move in the -usual way (with the mouse or by typing moves in ICS mode), even though -the pieces are invisible. -@item Flash Moves -@cindex Flash Moves, Menuitem -If this option is on, whenever a move is completed, the moved piece flashes. -The number of times to flash is set by the flashCount command-line -option; it defaults to 3 if Flash Moves is first turned on from the menu. - -@item Flip View -@cindex Flip View, Menuitem -Inverts your view of the chess board for the duration of the -current game. Starting a new game returns the board to normal. -The @samp{v} key is a keyboard equivalent. - -If you are playing a game on the ICS, the board is always -oriented at the start of the game so that your pawns move from -the bottom of the window towards the top. Otherwise, the starting -orientation is determined by the @code{flipView} command line option; -if it is false (the default), White's pawns move from bottom to top -at the start of each game; if it is true, Black's pawns move from -bottom to top. @xref{User interface options}. - -@item Highlight Last Move -@cindex Highlight Last Move, Menuitem -If Highlight Last Move is on, after a move is made, the starting and -ending squares remain highlighted. In addition, after you use Backward -or Back to Start, the starting and ending squares of the last move to -be unmade are highlighted. - -@item Move Sound -@cindex Move Sound, Menuitem -If this option is on, @value{NAME} alerts you by playing a sound -after each of your opponent's moves (or after every -move if you are observing a game on the Internet Chess Server). -The sound is not played after moves you make or moves read from a -saved game file. By default, the -sound is the terminal bell, but on some systems you can change it -to a sound file using the soundMove option; see below. - -If you turn on this option when using @value{NAME} with the Internet -Chess Server, you will probably want to give the - -@example -set bell 0 -@end example -@noindent -command to the ICS, since otherwise the ICS will ring the terminal bell -after every move (not just yours). (The @file{.icsrc} file -is a good place for this, @pxref{ICS options}) - -@item ICS Alarm -@cindex ICS Alarm, Menuitem -When this option is on, an alarm sound is played when your clock -counts down to the icsAlarmTime (by default, 5 seconds) in an ICS -game. For games with time controls that include an increment, the -alarm will sound each time the clock counts down to the icsAlarmTime. -By default, the alarm sound is the terminal bell, but on some systems -you can change it to a sound file using the soundIcsAlarm option; see -below. - -@item Get Move List -@cindex Get Move List, Menuitem -If this option is on, whenever @value{NAME} -receives the first board of a new game (or a different game from -the one it is currently displaying), it -retrieves the list of past moves from the ICS. -You can then review the moves with the @samp{Forward} and @samp{Backward} -commands -or save them with @samp{Save Game}. You might want to -turn off this option if you are observing several blitz games at once, -to keep from wasting time and network bandwidth fetching the move lists over -and over. -When you turn this option on from the menu, @value{NAME} -immediately fetches the move list of the current game (if any). - -@item Old Save Style -@cindex Old Save Style, Menuitem -If this option is off, @value{NAME} saves games in PGN -(portable game notation) and positions in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards -notation). If the option is on, a save style that is compatible -with older versions of @value{NAME} is used instead. -The old position style is more human-readable -than FEN; the old game style has no particular advantages. - -@item Periodic Updates -@cindex Periodic Updates, Menuitem -If this option is off (or if -you are using a chess engine that does not support periodic updates), -the analysis window -will only be updated when the analysis changes. If this option is -on, the Analysis Window will be updated every two seconds. - -@item Ponder Next Move -@cindex Ponder Next Move, Menuitem -If this option is off, the chess engine will think only when it is on -move. If the option is on, the engine will also think while waiting -for you to make your move. - -@item Popup Exit Message -@cindex Popup Exit Message, Menuitem -If this option is on, when @value{NAME} wants to display a message just -before exiting, it brings up a modal dialog box and waits for you to -click OK before exiting. If the option is off, @value{NAME} prints the -message to standard error (the terminal) and exits immediately. - -@item Popup Move Errors -@cindex Popup Move Errors, Menuitem -If this option is off, when you make an error in moving (such as -attempting an illegal move or moving the wrong color piece), the -error message is displayed in the message area. If the option is -on, move errors are displayed in small popup windows like other errors. -You can dismiss an error popup either by clicking its OK button or by -clicking anywhere on the board, including downclicking to start a move. - -@item Premove -@cindex Premove, Menuitem -If this option is on while playing a game on ICS, you can register -your next planned move before it is your turn. Move the piece with -the mouse in the ordinary way, and the starting and ending squares -will be highlighted with a special color (red by default). When it is -your turn, if your registered move is legal, xboard will send it to -ICS immediately; if not, it will be ignored and you can make a -different move. If you change your mind about your premove, either -make a different move, or double-click on any piece to cancel the move -entirely. - -@item Quiet Play -@cindex Quiet Play, Menuitem -If this option is on, @value{NAME} will automatically issue an ICS - -@example -set shout 0 -@end example -@noindent -command whenever you start a game and a - -@example -set shout 1 -@end example -@noindent -command whenever you finish one. Thus, you will not be distracted -by shouts from other ICS users while playing. - -@item Show Coords -@cindex Show Coords, Menuitem -If this option is on, @value{NAME} displays algebraic coordinates -along the board's left and bottom edges. - -@item Show Thinking -@cindex Show Thinking, Menuitem -If this option is set, the chess engine's notion of the score and best -line of play from the current position is displayed as it is -thinking. The score indicates how many pawns ahead (or if negative, -behind) the chess engine thinks it is. In matches between two -machines, the score is prefixed by @samp{W} or @samp{B} to indicate -whether it is showing White's thinking or Black's. -@end table - -@node Help Menu -@section Getting help -@cindex Menu, Help -@cindex Help Menu -@table @asis -@item Info @value{NAME} -@cindex Info @value{NAME}, Menuitem -Displays this info file in a new window. For this feature to work, -you must have the GNU info program installed on your system, -and the file @file{xboard.info} must either be present in the current -working directory, or have been installed by -the @samp{make install} command when you built @value{NAME}. -@item Man @value{NAME} -@cindex Man @value{NAME}, Menuitem -Displays the @value{NAME} man page in a new window. For this feature to work, -the file @file{xboard.6} must have been installed by -the @samp{make install} command when you built @value{NAME}, and the -directory it was placed in must be on the search path for your system's -@samp{man} command. -@item Hint -@cindex Hint, Menuitem -Displays a move hint from GNU Chess. GNU Chess mode only. -@item Book -@cindex Book, Menuitem -Displays a list of possible moves from GNU Chess's opening book. -The first column gives moves, the second column gives one possible -response for each move, and the third column shows the -number of lines in the book that include the move from the first -column. If you select this option and nothing happens, GNU -Chess is out of its book. GNU Chess mode only. - -@item About @value{NAME} -@cindex About @value{NAME}, Menuitem -Shows the current @value{NAME} version number. -@end table - - -@node Keys -@section Other shortcut keys -@cindex Keys -@cindex Shortcut keys -@table @asis -@item Iconize -Pressing the @samp{i} or @samp{c} key iconizes @value{NAME}. The graphical -icon displays a white knight if it is white's move, or a black knight, -if it is Black's move. If your X window manager displays only text icons, -not graphical ones, check its documentation; there is probably a way to -enable graphical icons. If you are running the Motif window manager -@file{mwm} (1), add these lines to your @file{.Xdefaults} file and -restart mwm: - -@example -Mwm*iconDecoration: activelabel label image -Mwm*@value{NAME}*iconImageBackground: White -Mwm*@value{NAME}*iconImageForeground: Black -@end example -@noindent -The first line above enables graphical icons in mwm; you don't need it -if you already have them. The next two lines force the white knights to -come out white and the black knights black. Unfortunately these resources -can't be set from inside @value{NAME}; you have to set them in your -@file{.Xdefaults} file. -@end table - -You can add or remove shortcut keys using the X resources -@code{form.translations}. Here is an example of what would go in your -@file{.Xdefaults} file: - -@example -@value{NAME}*form.translations: Shift?: AboutGameProc() \n\ -y: AcceptProc() \n\ -n: DeclineProc() \n\ -i: NothingProc() -@end example -@noindent -Binding a key to @code{NothingProc} makes it do nothing, thus removing -it as a shortcut key. The @value{NAME} commands that can be bound to keys -are: - -@example -AbortProc, AboutGameProc, AboutProc, AcceptProc, AdjournProc, -AlwaysQueenProc, AnalysisModeProc, AnalyzeFileProc, AnimateDraggingProc, -AnimateMovingProc, AutobsProc, AutoflagProc, AutoflipProc, -AutoraiseProc, AutosaveProc, BackwardProc, BlindfoldProc, BookProc, -CallFlagProc, CopyGameProc, CopyPositionProc, DebugProc, DeclineProc, -DrawProc, EditCommentProc, EditGameProc, EditPositionProc, EditTagsProc, -EnterKeyProc, FlashMovesProc, FlipViewProc, ForwardProc, -GetMoveListProc, HighlightLastMoveProc, HintProc, Iconify, IcsAlarmProc, -IcsAlarmProc, IcsClientProc, IcsInputBoxProc, InfoProc, LoadGameProc, -LoadNextGameProc, LoadNextPositionProc, LoadPositionProc, -LoadPrevGameProc, LoadPrevPositionProc, LoadSelectedProc, -MachineBlackProc, MachineWhiteProc, MailMoveProc, ManProc, MoveNowProc, -MoveSoundProc, NothingProc, OldSaveStyleProc, PasteGameProc, -PastePositionProc, PauseProc, PeriodicUpdatesProc, PonderNextMoveProc, -PopupExitMessageProc, PopupMoveErrorsProc, PremoveProc, QuietPlayProc, -QuitProc, ReloadCmailMsgProc, ReloadGameProc, ReloadPositionProc, -RematchProc, ResetProc, ResignProc, RetractMoveProc, RevertProc, -SaveGameProc, SavePositionProc, ShowCoordsProc, ShowGameListProc, -ShowThinkingProc, StopExaminingProc, StopObservingProc, -TestLegalityProc, ToEndProc, ToStartProc, TrainingProc, -TruncateGameProc, and TwoMachinesProc. -@end example - -@node ICS -@chapter Using @value{NAME} with an Internet Chess Server (ICS) +@node Chess Servers +@chapter Chess Servers @cindex ICS @cindex ICS, addresses @cindex Internet Chess Server -An @dfn{Internet Chess Server}, or @dfn{ICS}, is a place on the -Internet where people can get together to play chess, -watch other people's games, or just chat. -You can use either @code{telnet} or -a client program like @value{NAME} to connect to the server. -ICS is getting more and more important for chess players: -There are thousands of registered users on the different -ICS hosts, and it is not unusual to meet 200 on both ICC and FICS. -The number is increasing rapidly. - -Most people can just type - -@example -@value{LCNAME} -ics -@end example -@noindent -to start @value{NAME} as -an ICS client. Invoking @value{NAME} in this way connects you to -the Internet Chess Club (ICC), a commercial ICS. You can log in there as -a guest even if you do not have a paid account. To connect to -the largest Free ICS (FICS), use the command - -@example -@value{LCNAME} -ics -icshost freechess.org -@end example -@noindent +An @dfn{Internet Chess Server}, or @dfn{ICS}, is a place on the +Internet where people can get together to play chess, watch other +people's games, or just chat. You can use either @code{telnet} or a +client program like XBoard to connect to the server. There are +thousands of registered users on the different ICS hosts, and it is +not unusual to meet 200 on both chessclub.com and freechess.org. + +Most people can just type @kbd{xboard -ics} to start XBoard as an ICS +client. Invoking XBoard in this way connects you to the Internet +Chess Club (ICC), a commercial ICS. You can log in there as a guest +even if you do not have a paid account. To connect to the largest +Free ICS (FICS), use the command @kbd{xboard -ics -icshost freechess.org} instead, or substitute a different host name to connect to your favorite ICS. -The @file{ics-addresses} in the -@value{NAME} distribution includes a list of ICS hosts. For a full description of command-line options that control the connection to ICS and change the default values of ICS options, see @ref{ICS options}. -While you are running @value{NAME} as an ICS client, -you use the terminal window that you started @value{NAME} from +While you are running XBoard as an ICS client, +you use the terminal window that you started XBoard from as a place to type in commands and read information that is not available on the chessboard. The first time you need to use the terminal is to enter your login name and password, if you are a registered player. (You don't need to do this manually; the @code{icsLogon} option can do it for you. -@pxref{ICS options}) If you are not registered, enter any name. -If someone has already registered under that name, you'll be -asked for a password; just hit return and try again. -Or on ICC, you can enter @samp{g} as your name, and ICC will pick a -unique (but boring) name for you. +@pxref{ICS options}.) If you are not registered, +enter @kbd{g} as your name, and the server will pick a +unique guest name for you. Some useful ICS commands include @@ -2210,7 +1925,6 @@ If you have more than one pending offer (for example, if more than one player is challenging you, or if your opponent offers both a draw and to adjourn the game), you have to supply additional information, by typing something like @kbd{accept }, @kbd{accept draw}, or @kbd{draw}. - @item draw @itemx adjourn @itemx abort @@ -2227,7 +1941,7 @@ a draw by repetition or the 50-move rule if available simply by typing @kbd{draw}. @item finger @cindex finger, ICS command -to get informations about the given . (Default: yourself.) +to get information about the given . (Default: yourself.) @item vars @cindex vars, ICS command to get a list of personal settings @@ -2244,75 +1958,79 @@ to observe an ongoing game of the given . to review a recently completed game @end table -Some special @value{NAME} features are activated when you are +Some special XBoard features are activated when you are in examine mode on ICS. See the descriptions of the menu commands @samp{Forward}, @samp{Backward}, @samp{Pause}, @samp{ICS Client}, and @samp{Stop Examining} on the @ref{Step Menu}, @ref{Mode Menu}, and @ref{Options Menu}. @node Firewalls -@chapter Connecting to the ICS through a firewall -By default, @value{NAME} communicates with an Internet Chess Server +@chapter Firewalls +By default, XBoard communicates with an Internet Chess Server by opening a TCP socket directly from the machine it is running on to the ICS. If there is a firewall between your machine and the ICS, this won't work. Here are some recipes for getting around common -kinds of firewalls using special options to @value{NAME}. +kinds of firewalls using special options to XBoard. Important: See the paragraph in the below about extra echoes, in @ref{Limitations}. Suppose that you can't telnet directly to ICS, but you can telnet to a firewall host, log in, and then telnet from there to ICS. -Let's say the firewall is called @samp{fire.wall.com}. Set +Let's say the firewall is called @samp{firewall.example.com}. Set command-line options as follows: @example -xboard -ics -icshost fire.wall.com -icsport 23 +xboard -ics -icshost firewall.example.com -icsport 23 @end example @noindent Or in your @file{.Xdefaults} file: @example -XBoard*internetChessServerHost: fire.wall.com +XBoard*internetChessServerHost: firewall.example.com XBoard*internetChessServerPort: 23 @end example @noindent -Then when you run @value{NAME} in ICS mode, you will be prompted -to log in to the firewall host. (This works because port 23 is the -standard telnet login service.) Do so, then telnet to ICS, using a +Then when you run XBoard in ICS mode, you will be prompted +to log in to the firewall host. This works because port 23 is the +standard telnet login service. Do so, then telnet to ICS, using a command like @samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000}, or whatever command the firewall provides for telnetting to port 5000. -If your firewall lets you telnet (or rlogin) to remote hosts, but -doesn't let you telnet to port 5000, you will have to find some -other host outside the firewall that does let you do this, and -hop through it. For instance, suppose you have an account at -@samp{foo.edu}. Follow the recipe above, but instead of typing -@samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000} to the firewall, type +If your firewall lets you telnet (or rlogin) to remote hosts but +doesn't let you telnet to port 5000, you may be able to connect to the +chess server on port 23 instead, which is the port the telnet program +uses by default. Some chess servers support this (including +chessclub.com and freechess.org), while some do not. + +If your chess server does not allow connections on port 23 and your +firewall does not allow you to connect to other ports, you may be able +to connect by hopping through another host outside the firewall that +you have an account on. For instance, suppose you have a shell +account at @samp{foo.edu}. Follow the recipe above, but instead of +typing @samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000} to the firewall, type @samp{telnet foo.edu} (or @samp{rlogin foo.edu}), log in there, and then type @samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000}. -Exception: chessclub.com itself lets you connect to the chess server on the -default telnet port (23), which is what you get if you don't specify a port -to the telnet program. But the other chess servers don't allow this. - Suppose that you can't telnet directly to ICS, but you can use rsh to run programs on a firewall host, and that host can telnet to ICS. -Let's say the firewall is called @samp{rsh.wall.com}. Set +Let's say the firewall is called @samp{rsh.example.com}. Set command-line options as follows: @example -xboard -ics -gateway rsh.wall.com -icshost chessclub.com +xboard -ics -gateway rsh.example.com -icshost chessclub.com @end example + @noindent Or in your @file{.Xdefaults} file: @example -XBoard*gateway: rsh.wall.com +XBoard*gateway: rsh.example.com XBoard*internetChessServerHost: chessclub.com @end example -Then when you run @value{NAME} in ICS mode, it will connect to -the ICS by using @file{rsh} to run the command @samp{telnet -chessclub.com 5000} on host @samp{rsh.wall.com}. + +Then when you run XBoard in ICS mode, it will connect to +the ICS by using @file{rsh} to run the command +@samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000} on host @samp{rsh.example.com}. Suppose that you can telnet anywhere you want, but you have to run a special program called @file{ptelnet} to do so. @@ -2324,6 +2042,7 @@ In this case set command line options as follows: @example xboard -ics -telnet -telnetProgram ptelnet @end example + @noindent Or in your @file{.Xdefaults} file: @@ -2331,20 +2050,26 @@ Or in your @file{.Xdefaults} file: XBoard*useTelnet: true XBoard*telnetProgram: ptelnet @end example + @noindent -Then when you run @value{NAME} in ICS mode, it will issue the +Then when you run XBoard in ICS mode, it will issue the command @samp{ptelnet chessclub.com 5000} to connect to the ICS. Next, suppose that @samp{ptelnet chessclub.com 5000} doesn't work; that is, your @file{ptelnet} program doesn't let you connect to -alternative ports. In this case, you will have to find some other -host outside the firewall that does let you do this, and hop -through it. For instance, suppose you have an account at -@samp{foo.edu}. Set command line options as follows: +alternative ports. As noted above, your chess server may allow you to +connect on port 23 instead. In that case, just add the option +@samp{-icsport ""} to the above command, or add +@samp{XBoard*internetChessServerPort:} to your @file{.Xdefaults} file. +But if your chess server doesn't let you connect on port 23, you will have +to find some other host outside the firewall and hop through it. For +instance, suppose you have a shell account at @samp{foo.edu}. Set +command line options as follows: @example xboard -ics -telnet -telnetProgram ptelnet -icshost foo.edu -icsport "" @end example + @noindent Or in your @file{.Xdefaults} file: @@ -2354,12 +2079,13 @@ XBoard*telnetProgram: ptelnet XBoard*internetChessServerHost: foo.edu XBoard*internetChessServerPort: @end example + @noindent -Then when you run @value{NAME} in ICS mode, it will issue the +Then when you run XBoard in ICS mode, it will issue the command @samp{ptelnet foo.edu} to connect to your account at @samp{foo.edu}. Log in there, then type @samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000}. -ICC timestamp and FICS timeseal do not work through many +ICC timestamp and FICS timeseal do not work through some firewalls. You can use them only if your firewall gives a clean TCP connection with a full 8-bit wide path. If your firewall allows you to get out only by running a special telnet program, you can't use @@ -2370,18 +2096,15 @@ running timestamp there. Follow the instructions above for hopping through a host outside the firewall (foo.edu in the example), but run timestamp or timeseal on that host instead of telnet. -Suppose that you have a SOCKS firewall that requires you to go through -some extra level of authentication, but after that will give you a -clean 8-bit wide TCP connection to the chess server. In that case, -you could make a socksified version of -@value{NAME} -and run that. If you are using timestamp or timeseal, -you will to socksify it, not -@value{NAME}; -this may be difficult seeing that ICC and FICS do not -provide source code for these programs. -Socksification is beyond the scope of this document, but -see the SOCKS Web site at http://www.socks.nec.com/how2socksify.html. +Suppose that you have a SOCKS firewall that will give you a clean +8-bit wide TCP connection to the chess server, but only after you +authenticate yourself via the SOCKS protocol. In that case, you could +make a socksified version of XBoard and run that. If you are using +timestamp or timeseal, you will to socksify it, not XBoard; this may +be difficult seeing that ICC and FICS do not provide source code for +these programs. Socksification is beyond the scope of this document, +but see the SOCKS Web site at http://www.socks.permeo.com/. +If you are missing SOCKS, try http://www.funbureau.com/. @node Environment @chapter Environment variables @@ -2390,32 +2113,28 @@ see the SOCKS Web site at http://www.socks.nec.com/how2socksify.html. Game and position files are found in a directory named by the @code{CHESSDIR} environment variable. If this variable is not set, the current working directory is used. If @code{CHESSDIR} is set, -@value{NAME} actually changes its working directory to -@code{$CHESSDIR}, so GNU Chess listing files will also be stored there -as well. +XBoard actually changes its working directory to +@code{$CHESSDIR}, so any files written by the chess engine +will be placed there too. @node Limitations -@chapter Known limitations and bugs +@chapter Limitations and known bugs @cindex Limitations @cindex Bugs -There is no way for two people running copies of @value{NAME} to play -each other without going through the @code{Internet Chess Server}. +There is no way for two people running copies of XBoard to play +each other without going through an Internet Chess Server. Under some circumstances, your ICS password may be echoed when you log on. -If you are connecting to the ICS by running telnet on an Internet provider -or firewall host, you may find that each line you type is echoed back an extra -time after you hit Return. If your Internet provider is a Unix system, you can -probably turn its echo off by typing - -@example -stty -echo -@end example -@noindent -after you log in, and/or typing @key{^E-Return} (@key{control-E} followed by -the @key{Return} key) to the telnet program after you have logged into ICS. -It is a good idea to do this if you can, because the extra echo can -occasionally confuse @value{NAME}'s parsing routines. +If you are connecting to the ICS by running telnet on an Internet +provider or firewall host, you may find that each line you type is +echoed back an extra time after you hit @key{Enter}. If your Internet +provider is a Unix system, you can probably turn its echo off by +typing @kbd{stty -echo} after you log in, and/or typing +@key{^E}@key{Enter} (Ctrl+E followed by the Enter key) to the telnet +program after you have logged into ICS. It is a good idea to do this +if you can, because the extra echo can occasionally confuse XBoard's +parsing routines. The game parser recognizes only algebraic notation. @@ -2426,7 +2145,7 @@ some "wild 1" games on ICS. It does not check piece drops in bughouse and crazyhouse to see if you actually hold the piece you are trying to drop. However, if you attempt an illegal move when using -GNU Chess (or the ICS), @value{NAME} will accept the error message +a chess engine or chess server, XBoard will accept the error message that comes back, undo the move, and let you try another. Fischer Random castling is not understood. You can probably play @@ -2434,7 +2153,7 @@ Fischer Random successfully on ICS by typing castling moves into the ICS Interaction window, but they will not be animated correctly, and saved games will not be loaded correctly if castling occurs. -FEN positions saved by @value{NAME} +FEN positions saved by XBoard never include correct information about whether castling is legal or how many half-moves have been made since the last irreversible move, and sometimes may not correctly indicate when en passant capture is available. @@ -2442,18 +2161,13 @@ and sometimes may not correctly indicate when en passant capture is available. The mate detector does not understand that non-contact mate is not really mate in bughouse and crazyhouse. The only problem this causes while playing is minor: a @samp{#} (mate indicator) character will show -up after a non-contact mating move in the move list; @value{NAME} will +up after a non-contact mating move in the move list; XBoard will not assume the game is over at that point. However, if you are editing a game, Edit Game mode will be terminated by a non-contact mate. -Some @value{NAME} functions may not work with versions of GNU Chess earlier -than 4.0, patchlevel 77, -or with versions of Crafty earlier than 15.11. -A few functions work with GNU Chess but not Crafty, or vice versa. - The menus may not work if your keyboard is in Caps Lock or Num Lock mode. This seems to be a problem with the Athena menu widget, -not an @value{NAME} bug. +not an XBoard bug. Also see the ToDo file included with the distribution for many other possible bugs, limitations, and ideas for improvement that have been @@ -2466,13 +2180,10 @@ suggested. @cindex Problems @cindex Reporting problems -Report bugs and problems with @value{NAME} to -@example -bug-xboard@@gnu.org -@end example +Report bugs and problems with XBoard to @code{}. Please use the @file{script} program to start a typescript, run -@value{NAME} with the @samp{-debug} option, and include the typescript +XBoard with the @samp{-debug} option, and include the typescript output in your message. Also tell us what kind of machine and what operating system version you are using. The command @samp{uname -a} will often tell you this. @@ -2492,80 +2203,61 @@ Your detailed description of the problem . @end example -If you improve @value{NAME}, please send a message about your changes, +If you improve XBoard, please send a message about your changes, and we will get in touch with you about merging them in to the main line of development. +Also see our Web site at http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/xboard/. @node Contributors -@chapter Authors and contributors to @value{NAME} +@chapter Authors and contributors @cindex Authors @cindex Contributors -@table @asis -@item Tim Mann -has been responsible for XBoard versions 1.3 and beyond, and for -WinBoard, a port of XBoard to Microsoft Win32 (Windows NT and -Windows 95) - -@item Mark Williams -contributed the initial (WinBoard-only) implementation -of many new features added to both XBoard and WinBoard in version 4.1.0, -including copy/paste, premove, icsAlarm, autoFlipView, training mode, -auto raise, and blindfold. - -@item Ben Nye contributed X copy/paste code for XBoard. -@item Hugh Fisher -added animated piece movement to XBoard, and -Henrik Gram (henrikg@@funcom.com) added it to WinBoard. +Tim Mann has been responsible for XBoard versions 1.3 and beyond, and +for WinBoard, a port of XBoard to Microsoft Win32 (Windows NT and +Windows 95). -@item Frank McIngvale -added click/click moving, the Analysis modes, -piece flashing, ZIICS import, and ICS text colorization to XBoard. +Mark Williams contributed the initial (WinBoard-only) implementation +of many new features added to both XBoard and WinBoard in version +4.1.0, including copy/paste, premove, icsAlarm, autoFlipView, training +mode, auto raise, and blindfold. Ben Nye contributed X copy/paste +code for XBoard. -@item Jochen Wiedmann -ported XBoard to the Amiga, creating AmyBoard, and converted the -documentation to texinfo. He was responsible for AmyBoard versions through -330.5 (based on xboard 3.3.pl0). +Hugh Fisher added animated piece movement to XBoard, and Henrik Gram +(henrikg@@funcom.com) added it to WinBoard. Frank McIngvale added +click/click moving, the Analysis modes, piece flashing, ZIICS import, +and ICS text colorization to XBoard. Jochen Wiedmann ported XBoard to +the Amiga, creating AmyBoard, and converted the documentation to +texinfo. Elmar Bartel contributed the new piece bitmaps introduced in +version 3.2. John Chanak contributed the initial implementation of +ICS mode. The color scheme and the old 80x80 piece bitmaps were taken +from Wayne Christopher's @code{XChess} program. -@item Elmar Bartel -contributed the new piece bitmaps introduced in version 3.2. +Chris Sears and Dan Sears wrote the original XBoard. They were +responsible for versions 1.0 through 1.2. -@item Evan Welsh -wrote @code{CMail}. - -@item Patrick Surry -helped with design, testing and documenting CMail. - -@item John Chanak -contributed the initial implementation of ICS mode. - -@item Wayne Christopher -created @code{XChess}; the color scheme and the old 80x80 piece bitmaps -were taken from it. - -@item Chris Sears and Dan Sears -wrote the original XBoard. They were responsible for versions 1.0 -through 1.2. -@end table +Evan Welsh wrote @code{CMail}. Patrick Surry helped in designing, +testing, and documenting CMail. @node CMail -@chapter Using @value{NAME} for electronic correspondence chess +@chapter CMail @cindex cmail -The @file{cmail} program will help you play chess by email with opponents of -your choice using @value{NAME} as an interface. +The @file{cmail} program can help you play chess by email with opponents of +your choice using XBoard as an interface. You will usually run @file{cmail} without giving any options. @menu -* CMail options:: Invoking CMail. -* CMail game:: Starting a CMail game. -* CMail answer:: Answering a move. -* CMail trouble:: Known CMail problems. +* CMail options:: Invoking CMail. +* CMail game:: Starting a CMail game. +* CMail answer:: Answering a move. +* CMail multi:: Multiple games in one message. +* CMail completion:: Completing a game. +* CMail trouble:: Known CMail problems. @end menu - @node CMail options -@section Invoking CMail. +@section CMail options @table @asis @item -h Displays @file{cmail} usage information. @@ -2577,7 +2269,7 @@ Shows the warranty notice of the GNU General Public License. @xref{Copying}. @item -v @itemx -xv -Provides or inhibits verbose output from @file{cmail} and @value{NAME}, +Provides or inhibits verbose output from @file{cmail} and XBoard, useful for debugging. The @code{-xv} form also inhibits the cmail introduction message. @@ -2586,14 +2278,14 @@ form also inhibits the cmail introduction message. Invokes or inhibits the sending of a mail message containing the move. @item -xboard @itemx -xxboard -Invokes or inhibits the running of @value{NAME} on the game file. +Invokes or inhibits the running of XBoard on the game file. @item -reuse @itemx -xreuse -Invokes or inhibits the reuse of an existing @value{NAME} to display the +Invokes or inhibits the reuse of an existing XBoard to display the current game. @item -remail Resends the last mail message for that game. This inhibits running -@value{NAME}. +XBoard. @item -game The name of the game to be processed. @item -wgames @@ -2652,58 +2344,72 @@ The PGN Site tag (default @samp{NET}). The PGN Round tag (default @samp{-}, not applicable). @item -mode The PGN Mode tag (default @samp{EM}, Electronic Mail). -@item OTHER OPTIONS -Any unrecognized flags will be passed to @value{NAME}. -Those most relevant for use with Icmail\fP are -@samp{-timeDelay}, @samp{-noChessProgram}, @samp{-searchTime}, -@samp{-searchDepth}, @samp{-saveGameFile}, @samp{-autosave}, -@samp{-savePositionFile} and @samp{-boardSize}. @xref{Invocation}. +@item Other options +Any option flags not listed above are passed through to XBoard. +Invoking XBoard through CMail changes the default values of two XBoard +options: The default value for @samp{-noChessProgram} is changed to +true; that is, by default no chess engine is started. The default +value for @samp{-timeDelay} is changed to 0; that is, by default +XBoard immediately goes to the end of the game as played so far, +rather than stepping through the moves one by one. You can still set +these options to whatever values you prefer by supplying them on +CMail's command line. @xref{Options}. @end table - @node CMail game -@section Starting a CMail game. +@section Starting a CMail Game Type @file{cmail} from a shell to start a game as white. After an opening -message, you will be prompted for a game name, which is optional -- if you -simply press return, the game name will take the form +message, you will be prompted for a game name, which is optional---if you +simply press @key{Enter}, the game name will take the form @samp{you-VS-opponent}. You will next be prompted for the short name of your opponent. If you haven't played this person before, you will also be prompted for his/her email address. @file{cmail} will then invoke -@value{NAME} in the background. Make your first move and select +XBoard in the background. Make your first move and select @samp{Mail Move} from the @samp{File} menu. @xref{File Menu}. If all is well, @file{cmail} will mail a copy of the move to your opponent. If you select @samp{Exit} without having selected @samp{Mail Move} then no move will be made. - @node CMail answer -@section Answering a move. +@section Answering a Move When you receive a message from an opponent containing a move in one of your games, simply pipe the message through @file{cmail}. In some mailers this is as simple as typing @kbd{| cmail} when viewing the message, while in others you may have to save the message to a file and do @kbd{cmail < file} at the command line. In either case @file{cmail} will display the game using -@value{NAME}. If you didn't exit @value{NAME} when you made your first move -then @file{cmail} will do its best to use the existing @value{NAME} instead +XBoard. If you didn't exit XBoard when you made your first move +then @file{cmail} will do its best to use the existing XBoard instead of starting a new one. As before, simply make a move and select @samp{Mail Move} from the @samp{File} menu. @xref{File Menu}. @file{cmail} will try to use the -@value{NAME} that was most recently used to display the current game. This +XBoard that was most recently used to display the current game. This means that many games can be in progress simultaneously, each with its own -active @value{NAME}. +active XBoard. If you want to look at the history or explore a variation, go ahead, but -you must return to the current position before @value{NAME} will allow you +you must return to the current position before XBoard will allow you to mail a move. If you edit the game's history you must select @samp{Reload Same Game} from the @samp{File} menu to get back to the original position, then make the move you want and select @samp{Mail Move}. As before, if you decide you aren't ready to make a move just yet you can either select @samp{Exit} without sending a move or just leave -@value{NAME} running until you are ready. +XBoard running until you are ready. + +@node CMail multi +@section Multi-Game Messages + +It is possible to have a @file{cmail} message carry more than one game. +This feature was implemented to handle IECG (International Email Chess +Group) matches, where a match consists of one game as white and one as black, +with moves transmitted simultaneously. In case there are more general uses, +@file{cmail} itself places no limit on the number of black/white games +contained in a message; however, XBoard does. -Because @value{NAME} can now detect checkmate and stalemate, @file{cmail} -now handles game termination sensibly. As well as resignation, the -@samp{Action} menu now allows draws to be offered and accepted for +@node CMail completion +@section Completing a Game +Because XBoard can detect checkmate and stalemate, @file{cmail} +handles game termination sensibly. As well as resignation, the +@samp{Action} menu allows draws to be offered and accepted for @file{cmail} games. For multi-game messages, only unfinished and just-finished games will be @@ -2712,41 +2418,33 @@ archived in the user's archive directory, and similarly in the opponent's when he or she pipes the final message through @file{cmail}. The archive file name includes the date the game was started. -It's possible to have a @file{cmail} message carry more than one game. -This feature was implemented to handle IECG (International Email Chess -Group) matches, where a match consists of 1 game as white and 1 as black, -with moves transmitted simultaneously. In case there are more general uses, -@file{cmail} itself places no limit on the number of black/white games -contained in a message; however, @value{NAME} does. - - @node CMail trouble -@section Known CMail problems. +@section Known CMail Problems It's possible that a strange conjunction of conditions may occasionally mean that @file{cmail} has trouble reactivating an existing -@value{NAME}. If this should happen, simply trying it again should work. -If not, remove the file that stores the @value{NAME}'s PID +XBoard. If this should happen, simply trying it again should work. +If not, remove the file that stores the XBoard's PID (@file{game.pid}) or use the @samp{-xreuse} option to force -@file{cmail} to start a new @value{NAME}. +@file{cmail} to start a new XBoard. Versions of @file{cmail} after 2.16 no longer understand the old file format -that @value{NAME} used to use and so cannot be used to correspond with +that XBoard used to use and so cannot be used to correspond with anyone using an older version. Versions of @file{cmail} older than 2.11 do not handle multi-game messages, so multi-game correspondence is not possible with opponents using an older version. -@node Programs -@chapter Other programs you can use with @value{NAME} -@cindex Programs +@node Other programs +@chapter Other programs you can use with XBoard +@cindex Other programs -Here are some other programs you can use with @value{NAME} +Here are some other programs you can use with XBoard @menu -* GNU Chess:: The GNU Chess engine -* Crafty:: The Crafty chess engine -* zic2xpm:: The program used to import chess sets from ZIICS +* GNU Chess:: The GNU Chess engine. +* Crafty:: The Crafty chess engine. +* zic2xpm:: The program used to import chess sets from ZIICS. @end menu @node GNU Chess @@ -2771,7 +2469,7 @@ Crafty is a strong, rapidly evolving chess program. This rapid pace of development is good, because it means Crafty is always getting better. This can sometimes cause problems with backwards compatibility, but usually the latest version of Crafty -will work well with the latest version of @value{NAME}. +will work well with the latest version of XBoard. Crafty can be obtained from its author's FTP site: ftp://ftp.cis.uab.edu/hyatt/. @@ -2788,16 +2486,13 @@ ZIICS is available from: ftp://ftp.freechess.org/pub/chess/DOS/ziics131.exe - To import ZIICS pieces, do this: - @table @asis @item 1. Unzip ziics131.exe into a directory: @example unzip -L ziics131.exe -d ~/ziics @end example - @item 2. Use zic2xpm to convert a set of pieces to XBoard format. For example, let's say you want to use the @@ -2808,34 +2503,39 @@ mkdir ~/fritz4 cd ~/fritz4 zic2xpm ~/ziics/fritz4.* @end example - -@item 3. Now, either give XBoard the ``-pixmap'' option when starting up, e.g.: +@item 3. Give XBoard the ``-pixmap'' option when starting up, e.g.: @example xboard -pixmap ~/fritz4 @end example -Or, add this line to your .Xdefaults file: +Alternatively, you can add this line to your .Xdefaults file: @example xboard*pixmapDirectory: ~/fritz4 @end example @end table -(*) ZIICS is a separate copyrighted work of Andy McFarland (Zek on ICS). +(*) ZIICS is a separate copyrighted work of Andy McFarland. The ``ZIICS pieces'' are copyrighted works of their respective creators. Files produced by ``zic2xpm'' are for PERSONAL USE ONLY and may NOT be redistributed without explicit permission from the original creator(s) of the pieces. +@ifnottex +@node Copyright +@unnumbered Copyright +@include copyright.texi +@end ifnottex + @node Copying @unnumbered GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE @include gpl.texinfo +@c noman @node Index @unnumbered Index - @printindex cp @contents - +@c end noman diff --git a/xboard.texinfo.in b/xboard.texinfo.in index ffc2af9..8aea968 100644 --- a/xboard.texinfo.in +++ b/xboard.texinfo.in @@ -4,23 +4,7 @@ @settitle XBoard @c %**end of header - @set VERSION @VERSION@.@PATCHLEVEL@ -@set XBOARD -@set NAME XBoard -@set LCNAME xboard -@clear WINBOARD -@clear AMYBOARD - -@ifinfo -@format -INFO-DIR-SECTION Games -START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY -* xboard: (xboard). An X Window System graphical chessboard. -END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY -@end format -@end ifinfo - @include xboard.texi @bye diff --git a/zippy.README b/zippy.README index c32d256..292646c 100644 --- a/zippy.README +++ b/zippy.README @@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ are at the bottom of this file. If you have problems building or running Zippy, see the rest of the xboard documentation: INSTALL documents the configure program, while -READ_ME and xboard.man (or xboard.doc) document xboard itself, and +READ_ME and xboard.man (or xboard.txt) document xboard itself, and WinBoard.hlp documents WinBoard. FAQ answers some frequently asked questions. The file engine-intf.html contains some information about the interface between xboard/WinBoard and GNU Chess (or other chess